A place to call home
by noux
Summary: After his return, Superman realizes that things changed but not the ones that should have. He has yet to find his place back in this world and has to face the terrible consequences of his former mistakes, putting his own life at risk and facing mortality.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: Superman, 'Superman Returns' and Batman are own by DC comics and Warner Bros. This story is intended only for my own entertainment and the one of who may read it.

Enjoy!

**Prologue**

Kal-El hovers high above the stratosphere, his eyes shut as usual, and although he still keeps an ear opened just in case, surveying the world is not his main motivation right now…

He wants to take a moment to himself, a moment to rest and think, just to sort out his feelings about what has happened since he returned from his trip to Krypton.

His heart is filled with conflicting emotions: joy to be a father, not be the last one of his kind anymore; pain to know he'll never be able to be his son's real 'Daddy.' Richard is Jason's Dad, and as sure it is, no one could be better for the job; he's just the perfect type of man… the perfect type of husband. Kal-El clenches his jaw at that thought. It was all is his fault; he left Lois alone. Now he was making her suffer even more by returning and forcing her to choose between him and Richard.

It's not fair. He doesn't want Lois to have to choose, just as before he left for Krypton, when their relationship was already impossible. Although he had been desperately in love with her then, he knew their love was doomed because she only knew and loved one side of him: Superman. She only saw the mighty stranger in him, the power and wonder he had in himself. It never occurred to her that he could be anyone else and live among common people. If it had, she would have immediately realized that he was Clark; glasses and goofiness couldn't have been enough as a shield for her. She was and still is a great reporter after all!

Kal-El had been really hurt when he had realized this after the one night they spent together. He had decided to bring her to his Fortress of Solitude to tell her everything: his life, his love for her... But they got carried away and passion got the best of him. He had kissed her and the next thing he could recall is that they where in bed for the most memorable night of his life. Unfortunately it had ended shortly after with a call for help from Asia that had forced him to return her to her apartment in Metropolis before flying away. Later, as he made his way back to her, he was so happy with the earlier events of the evening that the infuriated look she gave him as he landed on her balcony was like a cold shower. All the courage he had gathered to tell her the truth about his real identity had vanished in an instant.

The next few days he tried to let things go as he couldn't find the strength anymore to tell her the truth about himself. It didn't help that she was passing her anger onto Clark because Superman was away "saving more stupid fools who couldn't take care of themselves properly." Then there was this article about scientists finding Krypton… Maybe it was fate; a way to escape this sudden great solitude that had seized his soul. Without a second thought he had left all behind, thinking, like a fool, that it was a fantastic idea.

Now that he has returned he's found himself in the middle of a total mess. Things have changed but not the things that should have. Lois has been mad at Superman for leaving. Of course she's been mad! She's always been mad at him for some reason… But at least she still had feelings for this side of him. Clark, in the other hand, has seemed to be simply erased from her memory and he realizes now that it's what hurts him so much, even more than to see her in the arms of another man. And now there's Jason, his son. Richard's son…

Kal-El feels so close to happiness, but totally incapable of reaching it. During the last hour, after visiting Jason, pure joy had filled him as he surfed in the clouds, bathing in the regenerating sun. But now he feels empty. Some slight exhaustion and pain from his scar remind him that Luthor must still be out there somewhere. He couldn't have died. He would have to find him, and soon.

With that last thought he dives in the clouds.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter one**

Richard looks at the clock; it's ten past three. Sleepily, he turns to his right to see that Lois isn't there. He gets up and goes to the kitchen to find her standing there, a glass of milk in hand, gazing at nothing. Unsurprised, he sighs. Things have been so hectic these last days. Their former life, their happiness, all went to pieces in just moments because of HIS return. Earlier in the evening, Lois had told him that the hero was Jason's father.

It should have been a shock but he already knew in some way. He had always known that Jason wasn't his blood and that Lois had been in love with the Man of Steel; it hadn't been difficult to make the connection despite her telling him otherwise and the unlikely scientific probability of such an union.

"Richard, he left hospital tonight. He's ok… I… He came to see Jason tonight."

Richard just looked at her, motionless then asked, "Really? Did Jason…"

"Yes, he realized he was there. Richard…"

"It's all right, Lois. I'm not upset, I'm just glad he recovered."

He's not upset indeed, why would he be? Well he _should_ be, he realizes, but he just can't. The man was willing to sacrifice his life without a second thought to save people. _Well_, _he always does that_,_but_... _It's easy to do that when you're indestructible and invulnerable_, Richard thinks. This time though, Superman knew that New Krypton could be deadly to him, but he went there anyway, not caring for his own life. That's what true courage is meant to be.

A part of Richard is proud to be the guide for this great man's son but the other part is just terrified that he could lose Jason to him. _What will come next_? _What if Lois and Jason just go away_?

A hand on his shoulder brings him back to reality; Lois is just behind him now and steps closer, then circles his waist with her arms, resting her head on his shoulder. It's the first time she's done this since…

"When we were on the boat, you were the one to come to our rescue," she says to him.

"Well, that wasn't exactly a success…," he says with a faint smile, just savoring the close contact she provides him.

"But you tried. You were there when I needed help… He wasn't."

Richard turns to look her in the eyes, surprised. He sees anger.

"Lois… he had to save the people of Metropolis from the earthquake…"

"I know. That's why I know now that I can never be with him. He may be my son's father, but _you_ are my life. You were there when I needed you, you've always been there, and you'll always be there. I need someone who can take care of me and who I can love without any compromise. I love you Richard. I love him too, but maybe not enough to share him with the rest of the world. I want to be selfish and exclusive. He may be 'always around' but he's not 'always here.'"

The young man just stares at her, speechless, a great warm wave surrounding him from head to toe. Did he just hear right? Did she just say she chose _him_ instead of a godlike man? He tries to mouth a word but she just presses her lips to his and gives him a tender and passionate kiss.

* * *

At eight AM Clark stretches and gets up from the corner of the devastated rooftop of the Daily Planet. Last night he tried to search for Luthor's helicopter but had to stop after only a short time, feeling more and more exhausted with every passing minute and starting to have a hard time keeping his flight steady. Even for Superman, the last two days were a little too much. His wound wanted to be taken seriously, he needed some sleep, and the sun rays were simply not enough.

Without a place to stay yet and not wanting to see anyone last night, he headed to the Daily Planet and landed on the rooftop. He then changed back into his everyday clothes before sitting in a small corner shadowed by the sculptures. The globe wasn't there anymore to provide light, and it pained him to see "his" Daily Planet, the only place to call "home" apart from Ma's farm, in so bad a shape. Despite the cold, hard concrete wall he sat against, he found sleep quickly, thankful that no one needed his help for a few hours.

Now he feels a little better. He looks at the sky and regrets that the sun is not there, hidden behind heavy clouds. It may rain today and he laughs cynically, thinking that it suits his mood perfectly. The sensation of emptiness is still there, along with the sting emanating from his scar and a little bit of soreness throughout his body. All these sensations are so new to him. He used to be so confident and naïve, thinking nothing could happen to him; everything was so simple back then…

He heads for the stairs, since the elevators are out of order, and takes them quickly down to the newsroom.

Entering the bullpen, he can't help a look of shock: the place is a total mess. There isn't a window intact, and papers, files, and office supplies are everywhere. Computer equipment has been thrown from desks, and a fine layer of dust seems to cover everything. It appears that everyone here has been hard at work trying to clean up, but there's still so much debris...

After a moment of just standing there in the doorway, he composes himself and tries to find a path to his own desk, excusing himself as he brushes past other staff members on the way, though no one seems to pay attention to him. Just as he reaches his desk, a very familiar, very loud voice makes him jump.

"Kent! Where the heck have you been? Did you think it was time for a vacation already!" Perry yells from his office, which has no windows anymore.

"Err, Chief… Well… I was…" Clark stammers, caught off guard.

"Just try to be responsible for once and help clean this place up! I want this paper operational before tonight!"

Before Clark has time to answer, Perry shuts what used to be his door, making the fragile frame taped with plastic foil vibrate dangerously.

Clark sighs. _Just like the good old days_, he thinks to himself. _Time to get this place clean_. He kneels and reaches under his desk to grab the files and papers that lay on the floor, trying to sort them out.

"Mister Kent! You're alive!"

Clark, startled, knocks his head under the desk. Not that he can feel the pain…

"Jimmy…"

"Oh, Mister Kent, I didn't see you after the earthquake! I thought you were dead somewhere!"

"Jimmy, as far as I know, no one died in the earthquake. Superman took care of that, didn't he?" says Clark, sounding a little more annoyed than he should be.

"Yes, of course, you're right. Isn't it just a miracle? A lot of people were injured but nobody seems to have died! How could he have managed that?"

"He just created a second shock wave which absorbed the first in order to limit the casualties," Clark says without thinking.

"And how do you know that!" asks another familiar, though irritated, voice. Lois walks up to stand next to Jimmy, followed shortly by Richard, having just arrived. Clark feels a blush rise on his cheeks, and smiles sheepishly at her. He already misses the soft smile she gave him the night before and that is not there anymore.

"Ah… Err… In fact, I…I was there when he did it."

The three look at him, surprised. Lois, starting to feel unbearably competitive with Clark, says, "You're telling us that you were down the street and managed in all this mess to be right where Superman decided to punch the ground enough to stop the shock wave? Are you kidding me?"

Clark sees anger and jealousy burning in her beautiful eyes.  
_That lucky bastard_, she thinks. Not that she wasn't even more in the midst of the events the previous day, but how could this poor, lost, irresponsible soul have had enough luck to be in the right place at the right time? He barely knows Superman, has always been elsewhere when the Man of Steel chose to appear; in short, he doesn't deserve to write articles on him. Lois is the one who saved _his_ life for Christ's sake!

Richard, feeling the odd tension rising between them and seeing that Clark is just about to melt in Lois's gaze, asks, "Clark, if you witnessed that, then why didn't you come back to the office yesterday to write it up? It would have made a great feed for the evening news, while we were all waiting for Superman's recovery."

Clark, with an embarrassed look, says, "Well… In fact I woke up in the middle of an alley early this morning… I must have been knocked out by the shock wave because I was too close."

The three are stunned. Clark adds, "Wait a minute… Superman's recovery? What happened? Did I miss something?"

Lois's jaw drops while Richard has a hard time trying not to laugh.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter two**

A week has now passed. Superman is spending all his time helping to rebuild Metropolis and scanning the ocean to find any trace of Luthor, but without any results. He refuses to believe that Luthor might have crashed his helicopter in the open ocean, but has to resign himself that he won't find the bastard until he makes a new move against him… Kal-el shudders at this thought.

Lois has already returned to her usual self, working on several stories at once, beautiful and fearless. Richard notices that since she made her decision to stay with him, it has lightened her mood a lot, like nothing more could possibly happen to her and her son now that she has the best two men in the world to protect them. They talked a lot over the last week about this situation and the place Superman should have in their lives from now on. He would have to know sooner or later, and sooner would be best. But the Man of Steel hasn't tried to visit Jason or Lois since last week. How will he take the decisions they made – well, decisions that Lois made, as Richard didn't really have any say…? Does he even care?

He cares… Clark continues to have a hard time concentrating on his own work when Lois is around. Since last week, she seems to have regained her self-confidence even if he knows perfectly that it's just a facade. She never looses though an opportunity to tease or scold him. She seems to have claimed him as her personal working slave at the office just like the old days but in a more bitter way like she unconsciously wanted Kent to pay for her still underlying anger toward the hero. Clark just plays her game without complaining, accepting it like his punishment to have made this mess.

On top of that, he knows about her and Richard. He has seen the stolen kisses, the little touches of affection she gives her fiancé, heard their quiet conversations. It hurts every time. Above all that, there's still this tiredness and the sting from his wound. No matter how much he bathes in sunlight, it seems to do nothing about it. How much longer will he have to wait until he recovers completely? Sleep doesn't help either. Each time he tries to rest a little, nightmares come to haunt him; Luthor is there every time, stabbing him to death, then he sees Earth as he saw the ruins of Krypton, a deadly graveyard. Each time he wakes up to feel more empty and tired. He stopped trying to sleep few days ago as it did more bad than good anyway.

Tonight they have to stay a little longer at work. While Richard and Jimmy go find some food, Clark finds himself alone while Lois decides to go to the rooftop. The moment seems to repeat itself, but this time he knows that there won't be any romantic flight above the city, only revelations of things he already knows but isn't really willing to hear yet…

* * *

Lois gazes out at the lights of the city. For the first time in five years she feels like she's regained control of her life. She made her decision and knows it was right because she doesn't have a second thought. _He_ was the one to leave; _he_ has to deal with the consequences.

"Lois?"

She jumps slightly at the sound of his deep voice, then turns to face him. He's so handsome, as usual. The globe has returned to its place thanks to him and it casts its light on his strong features, surrounding him with a golden aura. Lois's heart is beating fast; would she ever forget how breathtaking he is? Regaining her composure, she says, "It's been a long time since you _dared_ come to see us."

Kal-El is not surprised, seeing the usual scolding Lois in action…

"Well, I've been kind of busy these days. Luthor left a big mess behind him," he replies, his eyes never leaving hers.

Chewing on her bottom lip, she feels like she is suddenly losing her self-confidence in front of him. _What the hell_? _I_ was the one to save _his_ life after all. _Who's in command now?_

"Richard… and I… have had a long discussion about Jason and…you."

He just listens, not moving.

"We both think that it's better for him to believe that Richard is his father… well at least for now…"

She sees him breathe deeply, still staring at her, almost expressionless._Say something_! she thinks._ Please talk to me… yell!_ He just nods. She adds, "He's so young. How could he possibly keep this secret? It would endanger him…us."

A long silence.

"You're right," he almost whispers, afraid that his trembling voice could betray his pain right now if it was louder. He had prepared himself to let her go, but Jason… Unable to face her anymore, he turns to leave, but she grabs him by the arm.

"Superman… Please don't be angry…" she softly pleads with him.

"Angry? Lois… _articles state that I'm not supposed _to have such feelings. And besides, Jason needs what is best for him. That's clearly not me with all the trouble I keep bringing you all." His voice is falsely soft and calm.

Lois relaxes, missing the cynicism behind his words. _Of course, he's not human. How could he feel anger or jealousy? He's above such things._ She smiles tentatively. "Will we see you…"

"…around, yes." He then leaves without another word, disappearing into the night sky.

On her way down to the bullpen, she thinks about their conversation. She should have told him about the piano incident on the boat, but Jason hasn't done anything 'special' since then. If anything happens again, she'll deal with it then. Things are going to get better now._ Everything is under control._

He'll still be around. And one day... one day she'll be able to let him come back into her life without fearing to fall for him again and suffer... _Again._ Sighing, she joins the boys in the conference room but notices immediately that Clark is not there. "Where's Clark?"_  
_

Richard, already eating, says, "He just left before you came back. He said he wasn't feeling well."

"Escaping work again! Typical of him," she says mockingly.

Jimmy, irritated by her comment, says, "He really didn't look well either. He was really pale. I don't think he's really been the same since he returned from his trip around the world."

Lois looks at him, surprised. "Really? I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary about him…" She chews one nail, thinking, then just decides that her life is complicated enough right now to bother with mild mannered Clark Kent and his fragile stomach.

* * *

Somewhere near the North Pole, a tiny spot in the sky rockets over the ice at a sonic speed. Kal-El arrives at the Fortress of Solitude and lands in the middle of the main chamber. The place is now dark and ice cold. With a gloomy sound, wind makes its way between the huge crystals that support the structure.

Kal-El slowly turns and looks around at the emptiness, seeking any sign, any possibility that his father might still be here and would appear to comfort him.

"Father…," he gently whispers.

Nothing.

"Father…," he repeats a little louder.

The echo of his own voice is his only answer.

The chilling wind swirls around him.

_Coldness._How is it possible that he feels it? Chills run down his body and it scares him to death.

"Father!" he finally cries out.

Fear slowly gives way to despair and anger. His eyes begin to burn.

Suddenly the entire structure is shaken by a tremendous shock wave as Kal-El lets out a desperate and primal scream of anger. Random crystals shatter and ice falls to the floor while the ice field nearby is shaken. Ice blocks vibrate to the point of breaking and dive into water.

* * *

As the clock nears midnight at the Kent farm, Ben places a little kiss on Martha's lips. "Goodnight, Martha," he says.

She touches his arm affectionately. "Goodnight, Ben… and... I'm sorry…"

The old man looks at her tenderly. "Don't be sorry, Martha. I know that this farm is your life. Jonathan is here. He was my best friend too. Hey, Montana can wait! It wasn't such a good idea to move there anyway. I grew up here, and this is where I met the two most important women of my life," he says, holding her in his arms.

"Thank you, Ben. It's important to me… to Clark. I know it would have been hard on him to lose this place."

With that Ben kisses her on her forehead and leaves.

Martha waves at him as his truck moves away. Just as she turns to go to the front door, she lets out a cry. Clark is standing there, partially hidden in the shadows on the porch. He takes a step forward and is now entirely in the light. Martha puts her hand over her mouth, in shock. He's wearing his suit, but there's nothing of his Superman persona here. His shoulders are drooped, his hair is a mess and falls down over his forehead and eyes. His face is so pale and his eyes are red. Tears are wetting his cheeks. She can see him shiver slightly.

"Clark…"

He takes another step then suddenly slumps to the floor.

"Clark! Oh God!"

* * *

The familiar whistle of the kettle tells Martha that the water is hot. She pours some in a mug with tea then adds a good spoonful of honey. She then goes to the living room. Clark is there, cuddled up on the couch, wrapped in a big, warm blanket. His reddened eyes just stare at nothing and she is forced to take his hands and put the mug in them to make him take it. His gaze turns to the hot tea but he does nothing more. She gently brushes his hair.

"Clark, honey, drink this. It will help you feel better."

She helps him bring the mug to his lips and sighs when he finally drinks it slowly. She can feel his hands trembling ever so slightly. His skin, usually so warm, is now almost as cold as hers. When he collapsed on the floor, she managed to drag him to the living room and he regained enough strength to haul himself onto the couch. But, as he was still dazed and unresponsive, she had to help him out of his suit so she could hide it in the closet in case anyone happened to come to the house. Afterward she wrapped him in the blanket and went to the kitchen to make tea.

She's so scared, having never seen her son like this. He seems ill, weak…lost. She's never had to face this before.

Rubbing his back gently, she speaks softly to him, "Clark, please talk to me... What happened?"

His eyes seem to focus a little. He breathes deeply then speaks for the first time, avoiding her gaze. "Mom, I think… it's just an after effect of the Kryptonite. Nothing to worry… I just… need to recover." His voice is trembling.

She strokes his hair and forces him to look at her. "Really? Son, look into my eyes and don't dare lie to me. Is it just that?"

Unable to hold her gaze, he backs off and stares at the coffee table again. He says nothing.

She doesn't want to push him but she has to know. "Have you been eating and sleeping well? You've hardly paid me a visit since you left the hospital. Have you found a place to stay?"

"I… no. I'm… I'm staying at a motel. With the earthquake and all, it's been too hard to find an apartment, but that's ok. I mean, I rarely sleep there. There's too much work to do rebuilding the city…"

"But even _you_ have to rest, Clark! Even if it's only one or two hours a day, you need some sleep!"

He looks away again, ashamed. "Sleep isn't really good for me these days… I have… nightmares…"

"My boy, nightmares are normal considering what just happened to you. I've had some pretty bad ones, too, since last week, you know? You have to accept them and they'll go away."

"Mom, these are real. I can feel the pain…I…" he runs his hand over his forehead and shuts his eyes. The memory is so vivid.

Martha sits closer and hugs him. Pulling his head down onto her shoulder, she gently rocks him until he relaxes again. _Like the old days…  
_  
"Did you talk about that to Lois? I saw her visit you at the hospital. She's been through all this too; maybe she could help you…"

Clark stiffens and draws back. "I don't think so… She's… she's moved on with her life."

"But last week, you said that maybe there was a chance that her and you might…"

"That was last week. I've realized that I'm not the one she needs. She has a family now and I'm not going to destroy that. Really, Mom… it's better this way. I'm not one of you. I… I belong to the world. I can't live as a human…"

"Good gracious! Clark Jonathan Kent ! Don't you dare say that! You don't belong to anyone and you are _my_ son! You have the right to have a family and be happy. Just because Lois Lane has moved on with _her_ life, doesn't mean _yours_ should stop! Maybe she was just never meant to be with you. Maybe someone else is out there for you. You're still so young, and a long and happy life is still waiting for you. I'm pretty sure of that." She takes his face in both hands to emphasize every single word she says.

"Mom… there's something you need to know about Lois and…" Suddenly, Clark turns his head as if listening. His revelations will have to wait; duty is calling. He looks at his beloved mother and smiles. "Thank you Mom, I'm feeling much better now. I need to go."

She puts her hand on his cheek. His skin is much warmer now. Still, she can't help feeling that he should take more time to rest. "Take care of yourself. Please, son. You're my last precious love."

"Mom…" he sighs. "You're wrong, you have Ben now, too."

With that he gently kisses her forehead and stands up. He's still a little dizzy but doesn't show it to her. He gets rid of the blanket and before Martha can catch it, he has already reached the closet, taken his suit and dressed. Then he's gone.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Just after midnight, a small yacht cuts through the water of the Atlantic Ocean at a reasonable speed toward Gotham. Comfortably seated in a large armchair in a luxurious cabin, a man types on his laptop as a soft light illuminates his bald head.

Another man with broad features and tattoos-covered arms enters the cabin and says to the bald man, "We're approaching, Sir."

"Fine. I was beginning to lose patience. Let's send the message to our… new friend."

The tattoo-covered man nods and disappears behind the door. Luthor smiles and pats a small black bag at his side.

* * *

At the Metropolis Heaven Motel, in room fourteen, Clark stands in the shower, his hands on the tiled wall. He leans there for a few moments with his head lowered and his eyes closed. Hot water streams down his back and over his shoulders, relaxing away the dull aches brought on by another sleepless night.

_Sleep_, he thinks. _Hmph_. _This is better than sleep_. _At least the nightmares won't come now_. He chuckles softly, thinking that his Ma would kill him if she knew he didn't listen to her advice. Instead of sleeping, he spent most of another night rescuing people all around the world. Surprisingly, no one seemed to notice his growing tiredness through out the night.

Standing a little longer under the cascading water, he lets his thoughts drift.

Suddenly he feels a hand on his left shoulder. Startled, he wants to turn but a feminine voice whispers in his hear, "Don't turn around. Stay like this…"

His heart is beating fast. It's Lois's voice. What is she doing here? Embarrassed, he tries to protest, "Lois… I…"

"Shh…" Her hand slowly moves down from his shoulder to his left side and settles on his hip. He gasps as his breath begins to quicken. She then slowly draws a line with her fingernail to the small of his back. He arches at the sting and moans then suddenly the sting becomes a piercing pain when the nail scratches his scar. He turns around to see with absolute horror that Luthor stands by Lois's side. She doesn't seem to be afraid at all and looks at Clark with disgust. In an instinctive move, he presses his back against the far wall of the shower, terrified and ashamed to be looked at in such a way.

"Look at him. He's an alien!" Lex says with a mocking glare.

"He's not one of us," adds Lois, disgusted. "How could I fall in love with this…thing?"

Her words give even more pain to Clark than his wound itself. He feels his legs giving away and slumps down on the cold wet floor. He feels coldness again… People are now coming up behind Lois and Lex. He can't clearly see their faces but he can hear them say, "You're not human… you're a freak! Get off of our planet…Parasite…"

Clark, unable to move, paralyzed by fear, starts to whimper softly. "No… please…"

"Parasite! You must be destroyed!"

He puts his arms over his face in defense and finally screams, "Noooo!"

Clark wakes up with a start. He's huddled in a corner of the shower, water still streaming down over him; he's shivering.

* * *

Clark extracts himself from a cab in front of the Daily Planet building at eight am. He looks up and contemplates the building for a moment, thinking. Should he continue to work there? Shouldn't he just stick to his Superman persona? Everything would finally be so simple... No more lies, no more regrets...

This place used to be his, but now he feels totally out of place, tired of playing this clumsy and stupid character. He stands there, in the middle of the sidewalk, considering whether he should enter the building or not.

_Who would care anyway_? _Jimmy would... good kid._ Clark smiles at the thought of Jimmy always trying his best to be kind to him.

Suddenly he is hit from behind. Turning backward, he realizes that a woman has just bumped into him and fallen backward onto the pavement. She curses under her breath but he can clearly hear it and it makes him smile. "Oh, I'm sorry," he says politely and offers his hand to her. But she doesn't take it, and instead hauls herself up alone, still mumbling.

"I was the one who bumped into you. I should be the one to apologize," she says curtly. With that, she straightens herself and heads to the entrance of the building. Clark just gazes at her soft red hair illuminated by the morning sunlight. _Sun..._ Just now he realizes that today is a bright sunny day. He didn't notice before.

His mood is a little lightened; sun's good. He heads to the entrance and takes the revolving door, still gazing up at the blue sky. The doors are designed to let one or two people use them at a time, but Clark's size doesn't really fit and he finds himself trapped with the same red haired woman. Completely embarrassed, he tries his best not to crush her into the door frame as she pushes to get free. She mumbles again, more loudly this time.

"I'm so sorry. I wasn't paying attention..." he says.

"I noticed that," she snaps back.

They're now free. Clark fights a little longer to free his briefcase without vaporizing the doors, then turns to apologize again but the woman is already out of sight. He doesn't know why but he feels suddenly empty and lost again. A weird sensation of claustrophobia grabs him as people pass by him and head for their busy lives, completely oblivious of his presence although he almost blocks the path from the doors.

Fighting the urge to run away, he composes himself and heads for the elevators.

Entering the bullpen, he goes directly to his desk, head low.

"Hey! Mister Kent!" Jimmy is now waving cheerfully at him. Clark waves back, trying his best to look cheerful in return.

"Err, Mister Kent..."

"Jimmy, please, why don't you call me Clark at last?"

The young photographer hesitates. "Yes... Mister Clark... I..."

Clark glares at him.

"Well, _Clark_…can you give me five minutes of your time to help me grab something from the closet…"

Clark just stares at him, blinking. Jimmy adds, "Well, The Chief wants me to find an old file which is supposed to be in his personal archives here, but…" In a much lower voice, he says, "It's a little too high for me…"

He looks at his feet. Clark hides a laugh and says, "Oh… of course. I'll get it for you, no problem."

Following Jimmy, he has to walk past Lois's desk. She's there, beautiful as always, busy typing on her laptop. "Hi, Lois…" he says shyly with his eternally goofy smile.

She doesn't bother to reply, too absorbed by her article. Clark's smile disappears in an instant and he joins Jimmy in the closet, his face low again.

He has no problem retrieving the boxes and proceeds to put them on the floor in the bullpen so Jimmy can search for his file more easily.

Suddenly a loud noise comes from just outside the closet. Clark walks out just in time to see the same red haired woman falling over the boxes. Just before she hits the ground, he rushes and scoops her up with one powerful arm.

"Got you, Miss."

Jimmy's jaw drops. "How did you do that!"

Clark realizes that he acted maybe a little too fast to appear 'normal'. He tries to find a good answer, not realizing that he's still holding the lady.

"YOU! AGAIN! Are you trying to kill me! Did I do something bad to you that you want to make me hurt myself or is this some kind of stupid test!" she screams out of anger, freeing herself roughly from his arms. Clark is blushing hard as everyone in the bullpen looks up at the scene.

He stammers, "I…I'm sorry…"

She doesn't stop yelling at him though Jimmy tries to calm her. Clark feels unusual anger rising in him and says sharply, "Well, maybe you wouldn't hurt yourself if you just looked where you're going when you walk!"

Jimmy looks at him, as horrified as the other people working nearby. The woman freezes suddenly, then snaps back in a low and deadly voice, "I would love to… if only I wasn't blind!"

Clark immediately feels the blood draining from his face as everything becomes clear. She never looked at him in the eyes; her look is unfocused. How could he have missed that! Although she isn't wearing sunglasses or using a cane, he should have noticed her careful walk, her hands discreetly registering her surroundings.

She bites her lips, fighting the tears coming and leaves him there without another word.

Jimmy, still shocked, looks at his friend, who is now leaning against the closet door, white as a sheet. "Err… Clark? Are you ok? Well, I'm sure Aileen won't be mad at you more than few hours…days…"

Clark turns slowly to face Jimmy and says, almost in a whisper, "Aileen?"

"Yes, Aileen Rogers. She used to work on the thirty-second floor, for the Braille version of the Planet, but was promoted last week and came up here. She has a column on her own, and it's pretty good because she gives something fresh and insightful to her articles. She's fantastic! I'm not surprised that you didn't see that she was blind at first. Some of us think that she has some kind of radar in her head because she rarely bumps into things… well until today… or when she talks to you, you almost think that she looks you in the eye. She has a very good ear. She's also…"

Clark looks at her during Jimmy's extensive speech. She's returned her desk and is now working on her computer. She's mumbling. He can very clearly hear what she says and it's not very kind. But her voice is so soft and rich. Her medium length red hair spreads over her head like the rays of a red sun. Her vivid green eyes are clear like precious stones. She's so tiny that she was like a feather in his arms. He can still smell her sent of fresh rose on his sleeve.

_What the hell are you doing_! he thinks to himself, shrugging the romantic thoughts off of his mind.

"I have to apologize to her."

"Err, Clark… I don't think it's a good idea…you know… she's a little like Miss Lane and…"

At the mention of that name, Clark feels even worse. He walks by Lois's desk. She hasn't missed a thing. She pats him on the back, "Good job, farm boy! I don't think you could ever do something worse to court a lady. No wonder you're still a Momma's boy…"

He just stares at her with wide eyes. Her words hit him right in his already battered heart. He just clenches his fists and goes to Aileen's desk.

She seems to have heard him come but doesn't react. Gathering his courage, he tries to speak but words come out erratically and for once he doesn't fake it. "I…err… sorry… I didn't mean to hurt you… I…"

"You're Kent, right? Listen… you may be one of the best reporters for the Daily Planet but to me you're just a…"

A sudden light-headiness catches him off guard and he has to lean onto Aileen's desk not to fall, his surroundings turning dangerously around him. His hand hits her coffee mug and the hot liquid spreads all over her papers. Angrily, she says, "Great! Look who's blind, now!"

She tries to search for her mug as her hands wander over her desk, but as she touches Clark's hand, she immediately notices that something is not right with her clumsy-MisterImaRealJerk-colleague. She holds his arm and asks in a much softer voice, all anger gone, "Are you ok?"

"Yes, I'm fine… Just need some air…" he mutters, then starts to walk slowly to the elevators.

* * *

The fresh breeze feels so good on his face. When he arrived on the rooftop, Clark immediately felt better. Now he stands on the ledge, looking out over the city, bathing in the welcomed sun light. He could fly away high in the sky now, but simply being here on the roof is enough to soothe his mind.

Closing his eyes, he opens his arms slightly to embrace the cool air.

"Oh my God! Don't!"

He jerks around, startled out of his peaceful reverie, and looks behind him. Jimmy, holding Aileen by the hand, has burst through the roof door and is running toward him.

"Please, Mister Kent... I mean… Clark! Don't jump! Everything is going to be ok!"

Clark just stares at them, bewildered. "Jimmy, what…" he starts.

Aileen says, "Look… I'm not that mad at you… you know. You've been an absolute jerk so far but…"  
Jimmy gives her a look and squeezes her hand. _Ok, that's probably not the cleverest thing to say right now_, she thinks.

A long moment of silence passes, then suddenly Clark bursts out laughing. A big, true laugh; one of those laughs that he doesn't remember having had for a long time.

Aileen tilts her head to the side, and Jimmy just stares at Clark, both of them stunned.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

At the 'Chez Marie' Restaurant on 16th Avenue, Jimmy looks, bewildered, at his friend, who is literally devouring his roast beef with french fries and cooked vegetables. Clark seems to be starving. His appetite and good mood finally returned after he saw Aileen and Jimmy's blank faces on the roof. To know that they were thinking he, of all people, could have tried to kill himself by jumping off that roof was just too funny.

Thinking about it a little more, Clark decides it doesn't sound quite so funny, but instead was a perfectly logical reaction to the way he's been acting the last few days. Besides, they don't know that he can actually _fly_! He immediately regrets his behavior because it caused worry to his only true friend, Jimmy.

"Err… Clark? You have a… good appetite today," the young photographer says.

"Ah, yes… didn't eat much the last few days… I wasn't really feeling well…" Clark answers, wiping some sauce from his lips with his napkin.

Aileen, who is seated close to Clark, says, "That's why you were light-headed this morning. You're still feverish; you must have caught something when you were out in that alley after the earthquake. You should take the day off and rest. It shouldn't take more for a big guy like you to recover."

With that she casually puts her hand on his forehead, as a mother would do to her child. The mild-mannered reporter is surprised and blushes slightly at that contact. If only she knew that was his normal body temperature…

"I… I'm ok now… I just… Well, thanks for caring…" he says, looking shyly at the young woman. She has the face of an angel, he thinks.

"You know, I don't think we started off on such a good note. What do you think about starting all over again?" she adds playfully.

"Swell!" he immediately says, barely hiding his joy. This day is getting better and better.

She finds his hand again and shakes it in a theatrical manner, "Hi, I'm Aileen Rogers, your new colleague."

"Nice to meet you, Aileen. I'm Clark Kent, your new disaster," he says jokingly.

Jimmy laughs as Aileen.

She says, "You can call me Lee, like Jimmy. That's what my friends call me."

Clark smiles broadly now. _A really good day…  
_  
Hoping to prod Clark and Aileen into a more involved conversation, Jimmy says, "You know, Lee used to pilot a rescue helicopter in Iowa." His voice is filled with great admiration.

His tall friend, suddenly very interested, says, "Really?"

Lee's expression darkens a little. "Yes… Well, that was before the accident… I was on a rescue mission with my crew. A fire had started in a chemical factory. We were supposed to retrieve several people who had gathered on the rooftop, but when we arrived there was a big explosion. All my friends died there. I was the only one to survive, God knows how. I spent two months in a coma and when I woke up, I had lost my sight. Something to do with the toxic gas and radiation in the factory, I was told… It's been two years since then…After the accident I had to reconsider my life and took a job as a Braille translator for the Daily Planet."

"If only Superman had been there…" says Jimmy thoughtfully.

Clark immediately bows his head, filled again with guilt for having left Earth. How many people had paid for his selfishness… "I'm sorry…" he mutters.

Aileen pats his shoulder. "Hey! That's not your fault! And that's not Superman's either. Give the man a break! It was fate, that's all," she says cheerfully.

Suddenly, a screeching sound comes from outside the restaurant and an enormous blast vaporises the windows, sending the near tables and chairs flying through the air and throwing people to the ground. Aileen is about to duck but a strong hand grabs her by the waist and she finds herself tackled on the floor. She can clearly hear glass shattering just above as a second explosion occurs. She puts her hands other her head instinctively but nothing hits her. She realizes that a massive body is over top of hers, shielding her. She can feel warmth overwhelming her and despite the situation, she feels calm and safe.

Clark, still lying over Aileen, looks sideways. Smoke and dust is everywhere but he can clearly see his surroundings. Jimmy is ok, ducked under a table, clutching his camera; Clark had just enough time to push him there before the second blast.

Discreetly hovering above his new friend so as not to crush her, he can feel her sweet body beneath him. He surprises himself, wishing that moment to last a little longer... But Superman is needed right now.

"Jimmy! Take her to the back of the restaurant. Find a safe place and stay there… both of you! I'll go see what's happening…"

Not waiting for an answer, he disappears into the heavy smoke.

* * *

In the street in front of the restaurant, people run in panic. Five masked men dressed all in black have just attacked a police convoy to free one of their friends, it seems. The armored van has been stopped and policemen are now bravely defending their position against the villains. One of them has a rocket launcher and seems to be having fun launching his ammo randomly.

He now prepares to launch one rocket at a little hot-dog cart behind which people are trying to hide. Laughing madly, he doesn't notice that his mates have literally disappeared, one by one in just few seconds. He presses the trigger and the shell is fired, but it doesn't go far as it hits a blue chest with an 'S' shield just few meters away. Superman appeared from nowhere like a blue blur and placed himself right in front of the man. The rocket explodes but the blast is contained as the Man of Steel bends himself forward, kneels and closes his arms and cape over it in a fraction of second.. The shock wave blasts the thug and a few cars and shakes a good portion of the street.

Everybody looks, horrified, as the hero remains unmoving for few seconds. The bandit can't believe that he has managed to hurt the man, but he is highly disillusioned when Superman rises slowly and straightens himself, casually wiping the burned powder from his chest and arms. He takes his time and finally looks at him, straight in the eye with his so famous "you-know-you-shouldn't-have-done-that" look.

In an instant the guy finds himself cuffed and secured in the armored van with his five mates and their associate they had tried to free.

People are applauding as policemen gather around Superman to thank him. He answers politely and scans the area.

"There are some injured people out there but nothing serious. I'll leave it to you gentlemen."

"No problem, Superman! Thanks for the help!"

With that he takes off and disappears in a blur. Jimmy, who was ducking behind a tree, didn't miss the scene and looks proudly at his camera. Perry will surely praise him for those shots.

The young photographer runs back inside the restaurant and finds Aileen there, sitting at the far end of the bar with a few other people. She seems ok.

"Lee! You won't believe what I saw!"

"Let me guess. You saw Superman saving the day…" she says laughing.

"Why… Yes? Hey…where's Clark?"

"I don't know; I thought he was outside with you."

"No… what the…"

Just then Clark appears from the rear door of the restaurant. He's covered by dust. "Hey, are you both all right?"

"Where have you been Clark? I didn't see you in the street," says Jimmy.

"What? You went outside? Jimmy, it was dangerous! I told you to stay with Lee," Clark argues.

"Hey, I can take care of myself!" Aileen snaps back. "What about you, then? I thought you were going to see what was going on?"

Clark pretends to be embarrassed and says, "Well… Actually, I went to search for a back alley to bypass the danger and get a better view, but I was knocked out by falling crates when the third explosion happened… I think I passed out… So… did you happen to see what was going on, Jimmy? Was…" He makes a funny flying movement with his hand, "...there?"

Jimmy just rolls his eyes while Aileen hides her face in her hand. Jimmy was right about Clark Kent; this guy is an alien!


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Early in the afternoon at the Planet, Lois is busy finishing a new piece for the evening headlines, about the reconstruction of the city and its economic implications. She's quite proud of herself, having spent the last few days on it. She wanted to finally have an article that did not talk about Superman. She's had enough. The Daily Planet seems to have been _his_ personal daily report for the last week: How did Superman get out of the hospital? Does he have an health insurance to pay for the care? Is he healed? Why did New Krypton stop its course and is now orbiting so close around Earth? etc…

Just as she gets the few pages from her printer, she spots Clark entering the newsroom with Lee at his side and Jimmy trotting around them. Her jaw drops at this scene of perfect friendship. _There's something off here! _She thinks. This morning, all Aileen wanted to do was to pound Kent into a million pieces, and now she's literally hanging on his arm with a giant grin on her face. The three are covered with dust and it gives Clark an odd look.

"Kent! In my office now!" Perry barks from his door. Clark excuses himself to Lee and Jimmy and hurries, wincing. He knows what is about to come since he phoned Perry to tell him that Jimmy could do a great article on the police van attack in the middle of 16th avenue. He had to tell him that he was not able to do it himself, as he was "out of order" under a few crates when it happened.

He closes the door behind him and waits for the ordeal, head low, his eyes peering shyly through his glasses.

Perry, who is now seated in his chair, looks at him from head to toe without a word. _Now that's scary_, Clark thinks, growing even more uncomfortable.

After what seems an eternity, the old man leans on his desk and stares intensely at his reporter. "Kent. When do you plan to come back?"

This question just startles Clark, who blinks a few times in confusion. "Come back? Wh… what do you mean, Chief? err… Sir?"

"What I mean is – when is the Clark Kent who I hired back a little more than one month ago, not the empty shell I have in front of me right now that pretends to be him, really coming back to work?"

Clark stays unmoving, mouth opened, eyes wide.

"Since you came back, you haven't given me a single good article, not to mention the ones I'm still waiting for. Today you missed the scoop of the day, leaving it to Jimmy, of all people! Mark my words ! J.I.M.M.Y! I didn't hire you back for you to put a pretty picture on your business card. I re-hired you because you used to be the best with Mad Dog Lane. I want my best male reporter back, Kent, and I want him_now_!"

Clark swallows hard and shakes his head hastily. "Yes… Chief…Sir! I… I'm sorry… I…"

Perry rolls his eyes. "Get out! And clean yourself up! You look like hell!"

Clark leaves the office as humanly fast as he can. The editor in chief sighs. _I guess that lost puppy dog eyes garbage comes with the package…_ he thinks.

* * *

After having gotten rid of all the dust and washed his face in the men's room, Clark returns to his desk and sits, thinking. It's time to make an important decision here: quit the job for good, or start all over again… He has to make a decision, and fast in regards to Perry.

Lost in thought, he doesn't notice Richard entering the bullpen with Jason in tow. The young boy, spotting Clark, runs to him, leaving his Dad, who is quite surprised, behind.

"Hello!"

Clarks jumps from his chair and turns to look at the boy. "Hey! Jason!" he smiles broadly, all his previous dark thoughts evaporating in an instant.

Jason smiles back to him and gently puts his little hand on Clark's back, just where he was stabbed. His expression is now serious and concerned.

"Do you feel better now? I wanted you to feel better at the hospital, 'cause you're cool."

Clark is bewildered._How… _He immediately regains his senses, noticing that Richard is watching them intently.

"Well, yes… I… Listen, Jason… people here don't know that… well… who I really am…"

The little boy tilts his head to the left. "Why?"

Clark begins to feel really uncomfortable now, for Richard has moved closer. "Well… Jason… I have to keep it secret because if bad people knew who I am and where I live, they would want to hurt the people I care for. Do you understand that?"

He can clearly see the turmoil of thoughts in the boy.

Jason says, "But Mommy, Daddy, and Uncle Perry aren't bad people."

_Oh God_… Richard is now just a few feet away. Clark is certain that all is lost. In a way, Jason has made the decision for him and he realizes finally that he doesn't want to have to leave this place and his job.

Suddenly, Richard is called by one of their co-workers and goes to his desk. Clark lets a long sigh escape his mouth. _That must be Fate…_

"Jason… Just promise me that you'll help me keep this secret, ok? One day you'll understand why Superman can't give his real identity even to the ones he loves. Can you keep that secret for me?" he asks, looking the boy right in the eyes.

Jason hesitates a second then nods happily, feeling really proud to share such a big secret with Superman.

Just then Richard arrives. "Hey, Clark! I hope that Jason wasn't too much trouble. He knows that he shouldn't bother people here," he says, looking very friendly at Clark.

"No, that's ok! Jason and I are good friends; he never disturbs me and can come over here whenever he wants!" says Clark in an animated way. He realizes that his reply might have been a little too enthusiastic.

Richard gives him an odd look then continues. "Well, I'm ashamed enough to have to bring him here when he would be much better at home. But you know Lois… she fired all the babysitters we tried. If I remember right, the last one just stayed two hours!" Richard says, rolling his eyes.

Clark clearly imagines a mad Lois yelling at a poor girl because she's not worthy enough for the job. He shudders at the thought, since he has experienced her fury more than once as Clark Kent.  
"Well… ok, Jason come on. Clark must have some work to do…" Richard starts, taking his son by the hand. But the boy doesn't seem to be ready to move.

"Please, Daddy, can I stay with Mister Clark? Pleaaaase?" he begs, giving Richard the best puppy eyes he's able to make.

"Oh, yes, Richard. That's not a problem for me, I can leave Jason some space on my desk so he can draw and all," adds Clark with almost the same puppy eyed look on his face and a goofy smile.

Richard stares at them both, surprised by the singular similarity between the two. He shrugs off the idea, thinking that it's not that weird, assuming that Clark Kent is somehow still childish and fragile as Lois always says. He laughs and says, surrendering, "Ok, ok. You kids behave!"

He leaves them both and enters his office, ready to get back to work. A few moments later, Lois knocks on the door and joins him. He immediately sees that she's annoyed.

"Hey, Sweetie, is something wrong?"

"No… nothing… Well… What exactly is Jason doing with Kent?" she asks, pointing at the odd pair laughing openly together over who knows what.

Richard looks in their direction and is forced to smile at the scene, feeling that nothing's wrong here. "Well, he wanted to stay with Clark, and Clark was happy to have him around, so what's the fuss?"

"Richard, don't you think that it's odd that Jason is so open with Kent when he barely knows him? And why would Clark be so happy to have him around?"

"Jason's seen him a lot since Clark came back and Clark has always been kind to him…"

"That's my point!" she says, still staring at the reporter and the child acting like they were best friends.

Richard stares at her, wide eyed, "Lois… You don't mean that Clark could… Oh God! Lois, Clark is your friend! Besides, Clark is kind to everyone! The poor guy could never hurt anybody!"

"He used to be my friend… a good one… before leaving. But now, who knows what he really did during those five years? Richard, what Jimmy said the other day about Clark not being the same worried me. I decided to do a little research on Clark and…"

"What! You spied on Clark!" Richard almost fell from his chair at the shock.

Lois faces him and puts both hands on his desk. "Richard. All the cards he sent to Jimmy all those years were fake! It was his mother who sent them. Don't you find it suspicious that when you ask him about his long trip he eludes the question or barely answers? I don't know what to think about that but there's something wrong here and I don't feel comfortable seeing Jason around him until I know the truth!"

With that she storms out his office and heads directly to Clark's desk. Richard sees the distressed look on the poor reporter's face when Lois takes her son quite roughly and leaves the newsroom with him without an explanation. Jason, now in the arms of his mother, waves sadly at his new friend, who waves back, resigned. Richard can't help but feel pain for the two and even with Lois's revelations, he just can't see Clark as a dangerous psychopath.

* * *

In a disused warehouse in the suburbs of Gotham, Lex Luthor walks confidently, followed by his four new henchmen. Kitty is nowhere to be seen. They stop in front of a small table, the only thing illuminated in the place. A man is standing behind, mostly hidden in the shadows. He seems tall and strong, and he greets Luthor with a deep voice. "So we meet at last. I wanted to see with my own eyes the man who was able to beat the crap out of Superman. Too bad you couldn't finish the job…" he says mockingly.

Luthor just stares at him with a little smirk. "Please, refresh my memory a little… when were you even that close, Mr Earle? I can still hear his bestial cry, his shallow breath in my ear and his shivering disgusting frame in my hands when I stabbed him. It became my lullaby…"

The man stares back at him few seconds then his attitude changes to a friendlier one. "Well, shall we get back to business? How do we proceed?"

"First of all, when do you think the preparations will be ready? I want the timing to be perfect," Lex says sharply.

"The laboratory is already settled and the scientists are at work day and night; it will be perfect. We'll soon be at the stage where we need your… little contribution," the Wayne Entreprises ex-CEO says with a sugary voice.

"Don't worry. Look at this…" He snaps his fingers and one of the thugs brings the black bag and puts it on the table. He opens it and pulls out a lead box. Luthor pushes him aside and carefully opens the box to reveal a hand-sized piece of green rock.

The blond man takes a step forward. "Is it… the real thing?" The excited tone is evident in his deep voice.

Luthor just nods as the man pulls a special flashlight out of his coat and turns it on. The green ray immediately makes the glow of radiation appear._Kryptonite_. He smiles broadly now.

He's just about to leave when Luthor calls out to him, "By the way, I have to visit a friend in Metropolis soon and I need some airborne transportation. Do you think you can arrange that?"

The man smiles again, nodding.


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

In the newsroom, it's already late in the afternoon. Clark has spent most of it gazing at his computer screen, doing nothing concrete. He rubs his eyes and leans back in his chair, sighing. _What a day…__It's a good time to recharge_, he thinks. Maybe this time it will help him fully recover now that he had a decent meal at noon.

He grabs his coat and heads for the elevators. On the way, he looks at Jimmy and chuckles. The poor boy is hunched over his desk, concentrating hard, obviously trying his best to write up the police van attack article. A few printed photos are piled up that show Superman in action. The shots seem to be quite good and Clark feels happy for his friend. Perry will be pleased, and it could boost the young photographer's career.

Clark approaches Lee's desk. She's busy typing on her computer, with a small headphone on her left ear. He hesitates a moment, not sure how she would react if he talked to her. It's been a few hours since lunch and maybe she has already forgotten him, as people usually do. He doesn't think that he can handle another rejection today, so he just walks away.

"Hey! Leaving already?"

He spins around to see Lee smiling brightly in his direction. Just to verify who she's talking to, he looks behind him. Nobody's there but him. She laughs at his odd silence.

"Oh! Did I catch you in the act?"

He smiles, her good mood is contagious. "Well, actually, I have to go check something for my next article…" he says. _Now, you're lying even when you don't have to_, he thinks.

She tilts her head to the left and gives him an odd expression, almost as if she was able to read his mind.

"Eight o'clock, tonight. Here's my address," she suddenly says, handing him a piece of paper. He stares at her, speechless.

Noticing that he doesn't take the paper, she stands up and walks to him. With an amused expression, she holds her hand up and finds his chest. Then, casually, her hand wanders over it to find his shirt pocket, where she puts the paper. Clark is now blushing brightly.

"Here. Don't be late. Dinner won't wait!"

"Dinner? But…"

"What do you think I invited you for? To redecorate my apartment?" she winks at him, laughing.

Clark is bewildered. He doesn't know what to say. "Lee… I don't know… I…"

Aileen becomes serious all of a sudden. She grabs his arm and squeezes it gently. "Clark… I talked a lot about you with Jimmy. I have the feeling that if you don't eat with me tonight, you won't eat at all, will you?"

Clark just looks at his feet, feeling like a child. _She's right.  
_  
She tilts her head again then whispers with a mischievous grin on her face, "Besides, you _owe_ me a little company…" Then, with a loud voice, she says, "…after having tried to kill me three times this morning, not counting the way you almost crushed me on the floor under you at lunch!"

"Shh!!" Clark's face is now totally crimson. He holds his hands up in surrender. "Ok!! I'll come… I promise… but don't talk about that, ok?"

Satisfied, she nods and returns to her desk, leaving him in the middle of the bullpen.

* * *

_Sun's good. _Kal-el can feel the energy flow through his body, filling each cell as he flies high above the clouds over Asia. Just after leaving Metropolis, he had to delay his sun bath to rescue some Chinese farmers who were caught in a tornado. Fighting the natural disaster drained all his remaining energy and he had to make a tremendous effort to haul himself above the remaining clouds and reach the first healing rays of the sun. Now he feels much better, but exhausted nonetheless. It's almost seven pm in Metropolis, and he has to hurry. With a little smirk, he suddenly dives into the clouds and disappears in a blur.

* * *

Back in his motel, Clark has just finished his shower. He was reluctant to enter the shower, as the memory of the nightmare of this morning was still so vivid, but he went anyway and is now feeling much better. He wraps a towel around his waist and looks at himself in the mirror._Perry was right, you look like hell…_he thinks, brushing his thick, wet hair back from his face with his right hand. Then he turns to his side and peers at his scar, rubbing it lightly. It's still there, and itches like crazy, but it's much less painful. _Good. _He then looks through the wall at the clock in the hotel room. 7:56 pm._Oops. _He turns into an instant blur and he's already gone when the towel hits the floor.

* * *

_Ding dong. _Lee hurries to the door. "Yes?"

"Err… It's Clark… Clark Kent."

She rolls her eyes and smiles, opening the door.  
"I know what your name is, Clark, no need to repeat it. It's not like I invited three or four different Clarks to dinner tonight," she jokes. "Well, please, come in. Oh, and excuse the mess, ok? I have a few extenuating circumstances,"she adds with a wink.

Clark follows her inside. She's wearing a comfortable pullover that's much too big for her and a pair of jeans. Her outfit makes him feel a little out of place with his usual three-piece suit. Lee grabs his coat and takes it to the nearby closet.

"Err… Lee?"

"Yes, Clark?"

"Wouldn't it be better with the lights on?"

The apartment is indeed entirely in the dark, not that Clark can't see perfectly, but it seems a little odd to have dinner in a room dark as the night.

"Oh…Oh! Sorry!! You know… I'm sorry!! I always forget to switch on the lights. Not that I need them anyway," she laughs. She goes directly to the light switches and turns on the lights in the living room and kitchen.

Clark is amazed how fast and easily she moves through her apartment. If he didn't know that she was blind, he would never suspect it.

Suddenly remembering that he brought something for dessert, he clumsily hands the box to her, grabbing her hand to take it.

"Oh! Thanks Clark. It smells so good. What is it? A strawberry pie? I love strawberries!!"

She carefully takes the pie to the kitchen.

He's not used to having so much physical contact with people he barely knows, apart from the ones he needs to hold when saving them. He feels suddenly awfully shy when she takes him by the hand and drags him to the table, where an Indian meal awaits them. He looks at it, quite surprised.

As if on cue, Aileen says, "Don't worry, I didn't cook it. I'm quite reckless, but not to that point!"

Clark laughs. While he helps her sit in a very courteous manner, she adds, "I hope you like Indian food."

"I love it," he says honestly.

Dinner is spent in a warm, comfortable atmosphere. Lee talks a lot about her previous life, how she loved to fly, the feeling of freedom it used to give her. She loved to help save people, to be able to make a difference in this world. Clark listens to her intently. She reminds him so much of himself and his own feelings. She then tells him how she had to deal with her new handicap and how she felt suddenly so alone. She had no family and had lost all her close friends in the accident. She speaks of it with no anger or regret, though, and Clark admires her for that.

After a moment she says, "Clark?"

"Hmm?"

"You've been so good!" she says suddenly, squinting at him. He's taken aback.

"Wh…what?"

"We just spent the last hour talking about me and me alone. Now I know why you're such a good reporter!"

He doesn't know what to say. One minute she's serious and the next she starts teasing him.

She adds, "Ok! Go and sit on the couch in the living room. I'll make us some tea."

Getting up from the table, she doesn't wait for his answer, and ushers him back to the living room and leaves him there, alone. _Ok_, _I think it's time to go_, he thinks. _Maybe just five more minutes…_

When she returns with two cups of tea, he's seated in a corner of the couch. She sits beside him and hands him the tea.

"So… who is Clark Kent really? Jimmy told me that you're from Kansas."

"Yes… I was raised on a farm near Smallville. My mother still lives there."

A moment of silence passes.

"And?"

"And what?"

"Oh, come on Clark, won't you just tell me how you became a top-notch reporter? Oh, and tell me about your five year journey around the world. Jimmy told me you went everywhere on Earth!" she says joyfully.

"Listen… Lee… My life isn't really that interesting and…" he stammers. He should be able to tell her his often repeated story about his trip and talk about his life in Smallville. Apart from his powers, he grew up quite normally with the help of his beloved parents. But this time, something's different. How can it suddenly be so difficult for him? He would like to open himself to her as she did during dinner. He understands her feelings of solitude and isolation perfectly; they're so similar to his own. He simply couldn't betray her by lying.

"Ok…" Her voice is now softer, her expression serious again. "Clark, will you do me a favor? I won't hassle you with any more stupid questions after that, I promise."

He looks at her, not quite sure what to expect. "Err… sure."

"Can I touch you?" she asks abruptly, facing him with an intent expression.

Clark spits his tea into his cup and coughs. "What!?"

She lowers her head, a little embarrassed. _Me and my straight forward questions…_"The only way for me to _see _you is to touch your face. I'd like to know at least who I'm talking to. I know that probably seems weird to you, and if it's too much trouble I'll understand…"

"No!! No problem…" he says.

She breathes in and sits closer, putting her hands on his arms to make him face her. She can hear him breathe uneasily, his heart beat speeding up. Her hands move slowly up to his shoulders. _He's big_. She already knows that from her experience at the restaurant today; his body seemed to dwarf hers, although he managed not to crush her under his weight. Now she can feel his unusual warmth again, which reminds her that the poor guy must be sick. She was supposed to help him get better with a good meal and a quiet evening, and now she feels like she's annoying him with her selfishness. She decides not to tell him about his fever, almost sure that it will push him to leave. _I don't want him to…_

Her hands are now on his hair. It's thick, yet extremely soft and hangs low over his forehead, almost covering the top rim of his glasses. _Quite odd for an old-fashioned man like him_, she thinks. Feeling her own heart beat pounding faster, she continues her exploration, the face of the man in front of her materializing slowly in her mind.

She's about to grab his glasses but he jerks away instinctively. Ashamed suddenly, she wants to pull her hands back, but he holds them in place, then gets rid of his glasses. He closes his eyes as she slides her fingertips ever so gently over his eyebrows, then his eyelids, then his nose, registering its shape. Her fingers wander over his cheeks. _His skin is so hot…_ When her fingertips reach his lips, he has a hard time keeping still, a great warm wave spreading inside him. He opens his eyes and swallows hard just as her hands leave his face after having followed the line of his jaw. She doesn't move for a minute then tilts her head upward at him. For just a fraction of a second she seems to _see_ him fully, her beautiful green eyes focusing on his. But the magical moment ends and her gaze returns to a far point behind him. A single tear escapes her eyes. She just smiles at him and whispers, "Thank you."

Finding her tea, she drinks it casually. Clark looks at her intently, still dazed. He then notices that his glasses are still on his lap. He quickly puts them on.

"I didn't discover my passion for journalism until I was practically grown," he begins, looking at his tea.

She turns her head in his direction, startled.  
"In fact, it was long after my Dad died…" Clark then goes on, telling her about his life in Smallville, trying to keep it as accurate as possible without mentioning the Fortress or his Kryptonian training.

Another hour passes and the two are now laughing again, like old friends, joking and exchanging their points of view on different matters. Their conversation brings them to talk about Superman.

"You know, I think that people are asking too much from him," Lee says finally.

Clark nods with interest.

She continues, "Really, people tend to rely too easily on him; they see him as some sort of savior. I don't think he sees himself like that. He's more like a guide..."

Clark blinks a few times, his jaw dropped.

Lee, sensing the slight change in Clark's attitude, immediately adds in a playful tone, "You know, I have powers too!"

He just looks at her, bewildered. She adds, her eyes slightly glinting, "I can see inside people. Not with X-ray vision like _him_ but I'm fairly good at reading palms."

Clark sighs, smiling, amused by the comparison.

Playfully, she asks him, "Do you want to try?"

Feeling more comfortable, he joins her at her game. "Of course. I don't think that you'll find my hands really interesting to read, though..." he jokes.

Laughing, she grabs his left hand and opens it, palm up on her lap. She closes her eyes, as if concentrating. Clark chuckles. She then slowly begins to slide her fingertips over his palm. It tickles him a lot and he giggles, unable to stay still. She gives him a fake scolding look and closes her eyes once again. He breathes in and tries to stay motionless this time. He realizes that he's getting used to her touching him, and the thought surprises him. He likes it... He..._loves_ it...

"Ok, let's see this hand... Oh my god! You're an alien!"

Clark jerks his hand away, the blood draining from his face.

Lee bursts out laughing immediately and grabs his hand back, saying, "That's a joke, silly!! Now stay still." She can hear his heartbeat rushing madly and doesn't understand why. It was just a joke. This guy is just amazing in so many ways. Her fingers wander slowly over his palm once again. Her expression becomes soft and serious again. After a long silence, she starts to speak. "I see kindness, devotion... solitude. You're lost. You have always been... Pain. Physical and mental pain... You're scared of that pain. You don't feel like you fit in... "

His eyes are now glistening with tears that are threatening to come. Still, he doesn't move. She continues as her own tears fall silently down her cheeks. "You feel so alone, invisible… guilty?…" She frowns at that.

He has heard enough. He pulls his hand out gently but firmly and whispers, "I have to go…"

Lee shakes her head, wiping her tears away quickly. "I'm sorry… I have a bad habit of saying too much without thinking… It wasn't smart of me."

"Don't be sorry…In fact I…" He sighs and pats her hand to reassure her. Trying to stand up from the couch, he starts, "Thank you for this wonderful evening, Lee. It was…wow!" 

He suddenly feels dizzy again and looses his balance, leaning heavily on Aileen who gets up immediately. She almost falls backward with his weight, but manages to steady him.

"Ok, big guy. You just sit back here and lay down. I'll get you something for the fever," she urges him, pushing him back down on the couch. He offers no resistance as the walls of the small apartment are now swirling around him, threatening to bring back his dinner. He barely registers her tugging at his necktie and loosing it, then unbuttoning the first two buttons of his shirt. She finds his legs and hauls them one by one up on the couch, getting rid of his shoes. He's already passed out when she brings her hands back up to his face and pulls his glasses off, touching his forehead to check on his fever. No sign of sweat. _That's weird._

Lee hesitates a moment, considering whether or not she should call a doctor. Finally, she goes to her bedroom to retrieve a blanket. She then comes back to the living room and drapes the blanket over him. She pulls off his necktie and puts it on the coffee table. With a slight smile, she lowers her head just above his, then kisses his forehead gently. Checking on him one last time, she gets up and switches off the lights.

* * *

An unusual noise wakes Aileen up. She sleepily puts her hand on her alarm clock and presses a button. "_It's 3:16 am_"says a metallic voice from the clock.

She listens carefully and hears moans coming from the living room. Getting up, she moves there quickly to find Clark groaning and moaning in his sleep. _Having a nightmare, big boy? _She kneels besides the couch and gently strokes his cheek. His breath is uneasy and agitated. Resting her hand on his throat to verify his shirt is not too tight, her fingers encounter something smooth and small attached to a chain. _A necklace? _She unfastens another button of his shirt and tries to soothe him, whispering soft words in his ear.

"You're not alone…" she says, stroking his hair. Almost immediately his breath calms down and he stops moving, his heart beat gradually regaining a normal rate. When she's absolutely sure that the nightmare is gone, she goes back to her bedroom, wondering about the necklace…

* * *

"_It's 7:30 am_." Once again the metallic voice wakes Lee, as it does every morning. It takes her a few minutes to wake fully. She gets up and puts a robe on, then heads to the living room. _No sound. _It doesn't take her long to realize that Clark is not there anymore. She chuckles at the thought of him sneaking out in the middle of the night like some sort of one night stand.

She sits on the couch and wanders her hand over it, remembering last evening. Suddenly her fingers find a piece of paper. _An envelope?_

"Oh, Clark… you do realize I can't read, don't you?" she says aloud, partly amused, partly hurt.

She opens the envelope and pulls out a card. Her eyes widen as she passes her fingers over the tiny piece of paper. There's something marked in Braille on it.

_Thank you._

Totally surprised and touched by the gesture, she cries.


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Today is a bright sunny day. Clark breathes in happily before passing through the revolving doors of the Daily Planet. He woke up early this morning after a good night's sleep, the first since his return to earth. He remembers having had a nightmare again, but this time something happened. The dream just evaporated, and he recalls having felt warmth and peace, then drowning again in a welcomed slumber. He now feels strong and healthy again, and the first rays of the sun have made it perfect.

As he enters the elevator and pulls himself uneasily to the side to let people pass by, his thoughts wander. Last evening was unbelievably weird; creepy and wonderfully pleasant at the same time.

_Aileen_. Lee is so special. Not because of her handicap, but by the way she senses things, the way she hits exactly where it hurts, yet with a genuine innocence. As awkward as it may be, she's the first person who seems to _see_ him as he is. On the other hand, that scares him to death; isn't invisibility good? The role he plays everyday, isn't that really what he wants? He silently scolds himself. To preserve his identity and still be able to help people, he has to play this silly game of his, even if it means loosing his son, his love, his humanity... there's no place for any romance or real friendship here. Even friendship relies on sincerity; _he can't even afford that._

When the doors open, his mood has changed again. He looks around at the usual agitation in the bullpen, and sighs. It's already almost eleven AM and he is horribly late. He missed the daily meeting, _again_, and Perry will most likely fire him if he doesn't find a good story to put in the editor-in-chief's hands today, preferably before noon. That shouldn't be too much trouble, though, because since he got up this morning he's already put out two arsons, stopped a car accident on the Metropolis bridge, and even prevented a plane crash in Paris.

Clark immediately spots Lee at her desk, working, and his expression brightens a little. _Maybe just a little bit of friendship_... For his own sanity, he realizes, he definitely can't stay alone. He's seen what letting someone in, just a little, has done for him over the last few days. He knows what a blessing it's been for him, but now he can't even get that small amount of friendship from Lois. For a reason he has yet to find, she won't even let Clark be close to her. Hanging around with other people may help him move on.

_Lois_. He realizes suddenly that it's not her love that he misses the most, it's her friendship. He was in love with her... or was it just that strong feeling of finally fitting in? He's not so sure anymore. She used to be the first and only one he would go to when he became Superman. She was his real first love, and the night they spent together was pure magic. Yet, strangely, his best memories with her were as Clark, her partner, not as Superman. But she gave a son to Superman, not to Clark... He shuts his eyes at the pain that seizes his heart.

"Where the hell have you been! I had to wait for you all morning and cover for you in front of Perry!!" an infuriated voice barks a few meters away, startling not only Clark but the entire staff. Lois, who has crossed the bullpen, is now standing in front of him, fists clenched. He instinctively takes a step backward and nervously pushes his glasses back up into place, blinking, not even trying to smile.

"Err... Lois... I... I mean, I was..."

"He was running an errand for me," Lee snaps back at the angry female reporter, looking sharply in her direction. Lois looks at her, bewildered, and doesn't notice that Clark does the same.

"Really? Since when does Clark Kent run errands for co-workers?!" she says, looking suspiciously at the woman, then at the poor guy, who is now entirely embarrassed. She can see the blush rise on his cheeks.

"Since this so called co-worker can't do it by herself because of a certain handicap," Lee replies in an even tone.

Clark is about to say something, but is cut off when Jimmy calls Lois shyly, "Er... Miss Lane... The Chief wants to see you... now."

With the flash of a deadly glare at the young photographer, who swallows hard, Lois heads to Perry's office, leaving them all there without another word. Jimmy winks at Clark and follows her.

As if nothing happened, Lee turns back to her computer, placing the little headphone over an ear.

Clark sighs and says, with his head low, "Er... Lee... Thanks for the help... I..."

She smiles, "Thanks for the card."

He smiles back. After a moment of hesitation he asks, "Isn't this the part where you ask me where I went?"

"Would you tell me?" She turns her head in his direction with a little smirk. His eyes widen, then his expression becomes softer again.

He just smiles and says, "See you later." Aileen smiles brightly and returns to her work.

* * *

At the same time, somewhere below the northern docks of Gotham, a woman walks down a long, dark corridor, her heels hitting the concrete floor at a rapid pace. _He_ just invited her to join him, for the first time since they left the tiny island and arrived in this ugly underground lab. She was beginning to think that he would never forgive her for getting rid of the crystals... She doesn't know what they're doing here but she's sure that it must have something to do with Lex's revenge on Superman. Her heart sinks when the vision of Lex's thugs beating him and leaving him for dead in the ocean crosses her mind. After she finally saw the news of his recovery on TV after having sent that horrible abomination into space, she was relieved... As much as she had loved Lex, all her love evaporated when she saw the atrocities he was capable of. Before that, she used to think that he was just a dangerous, eccentric genius, and that it would be very exciting to follow his steps, but now all her excitement is gone, replaced by fear and disgust.

They spent almost a whole day on the island before Lex's backup unit came to their rescue in the smaller yacht. She was thrown into a small cabin and locked there for the rest of the trip, with her dog for only company. When they arrived in Gotham, she still wasn't allowed to see Lex, and instead was lead by two thugs to a sordid warehouse, which happened to be a cover for this lab. Since then, she's been assigned to a tiny room, not much bigger than the cabin, but well furnished with a tv, home cinema, and a convenient bathroom.

But Now Pommy is missing. He slipped out of her room this morning and she's afraid that he's gone exactly where he shouldn't: near Lex... He'll be mad at her for that.

She finally enters a room that has nothing in common with the rest of the underground complex; it's as luxurious as the main stateroom of the Gertrude used to be. On the far end of the room, an elegant table is set for dinner, complete with lit candles.

As the door shuts behind her, a familiar voice makes her jump a little. "How do you like my room?" Lex is standing at the side of the room, near the bookshelves, a glass in hand. He smiles broadly at her.

Feeling nervous, she give him a faint smile and answers, "It's a little larger than mine." He laughs openly at that and walks to her. She stiffens when he gently puts his hand on the small of her back and guides her to the table.

"How about an intimate lunch together? It's been a while, hasn't it?"

She just nods, unsure of where this is going. He helps her sit, then pours some wine in her glass before helping himself and sitting. He gazes at her as she sips the liquid cautiously. Never leaving her eyes, he drinks his wine while a waiter fills their plates with what looks like roasted meat in a sauce. It smells delicious and Kitty begins to relax and flashes a more comfortable smile at her former lover. He smiles back broadly and leans forward.

"You know, Katherine..." She shudders happily at that. "... I think we came to a little misunderstanding. I want to repair that. From now on we'll work together, hand in hand. I'll stop looking at you as nothing more than pleasant company. What do you think of becoming my real partner?" He flashes her a bright smile and looks at her straight in the eyes.

Kitty just looks at him wide eyed, speechless. Is he really going to take her seriously? She blinks a few times and swallows a mouthful of the delicious meal, then stammers, "Well... yes... thanks Lex... I thought that after what I did with..."

He holds his hand up to her and giggles kindly, "That's in the past... we all make mistakes, really... So, partners?" He offers her his hand, his expression soft.

She returns the hand shake happily and smiles brightly, then attacks her meal again. He nods and takes his fork, casually serving himself another drink of wine. "Oh, by the way, Kitty. How do you like your meal? I think our new cook is an absolute genius..."

She nods in agreement, her mouth full of the delicious meat.

He goes on, eating casually, "I wouldn't have thought that Pomeranians were so tasty..."

She jerks away from the table immediately, gagging and spitting out her food. He looks at her, satisfied as he finishes his own meal, wiping the sauce away from his lips.

* * *

In his office, Perry leans back against his desk, reading the paper Clark just brought to him. The reporter looks at him, nervous, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. He feels the same as when he brought his first article to the same editor-in-chief some years ago... After a moment, the old man looks at him and finally smiles.

"This is good!" He straightens up and holds his hand out to Clark, who stays motionless, blinking at him. "Welcome back, son." He graces him with a satisfied smile as Clark finally relaxes and shakes his hand, sighing.

"Thanks, Chief! I mean... Sir!"

"Ok, now get out there and do your job right from now on. And don't dare to be late tomorrow morning or I'll fire you anyway!" he suddenly barks at the poor Clark, who then rushes out of the office.

"Yes, Sir!"

Just as Clark reaches his desk, Jimmy almost bumps into him. "Hey, Clark, good news! I found you an apartment!"

Clark's eye widen. "Really?"

"Yeah! Here's the address." He hands the paper to the reporter and adds, "I already called over there and talked to the owner. The apartment is yours if you want it, and the keys are waiting for you there."

"Jimmy... wait a minute. This is in the same building where Lee lives..."

The young photographer dons an innocent expression suddenly. "Oh, really? Let me see... Well, yes, I guess you're right! What a coincidence, huh?"

Giving Jimmy a look that he seems not to notice, Clark is about to argue, but then thinks better of it, seeing the satisfied expression on his friend's face. _Do I look so lost?_ he thinks. Maybe it's time for him to start letting people around him take care of him a little bit, too.

He sighs, "Ok, you win..." Suddenly serious and no longer bumbling, Clark looks his friend in the eye and says in a deep voice, "Thank you Jimmy."

The young man is a little taken aback by the sudden change in Clark's attitude, but quickly the reporter gives him a crooked smile and pushes his glasses up before grabbing his coat. In his usual voice, he says, "Well, can you tell Lois for me that I had to leave early to move in my new apartment? I'll work with her on our new assignment tomorrow morning."

"Miss Lane's already gone for the day. See you tomorrow Clark!"

The tall reporter just waves back while walking down the center aisle of the bullpen. He stops by Lee's desk, and she seems to be working, deep in thought. With a smirk on his face, he says, "Was this your idea, or Jimmy's?"

She laughs, "Well, you shouldn't underestimate Jimmy..."

"I'll remember that. Well... since we're going to the same place, why don't we share the cab?" he says casually. He notices immediately that her coat and purse are ready and her computer is already shut down. Before he even registers it, she's already at his side, grabbing his arm. He laughs in return and they leave the bullpen.

* * *

In the cab, Clark gives directions to his motel to retrieve his suitcases and pay for his room, then he leans back in the rear seat, gazing out at the city while the vehicle pulls out into the heavy traffic. After a few moments of silence, Lee starts, "Clark?"

"Hmm?"

"You haven't really had a fever this whole time, have you?" she says, her hand finding his own.

He's startled by her clever statement and the soft feeling on his hand._How am I getting out of this now?_ She immediately senses his hand tensing under her fingers. Silence... Shifting in his seat, Clark finally says, "I... no... Actually, I was born like that..." He already regrets having said it, but he couldn't think of anything better to tell her than the truth.

"Oh, ok," she just says, squeezing his hand gently. "That's good. I wouldn't want you to be ill. Exhaustion is enough, isn't it? Last night when you collapsed in my arms, I was afraid that you were terribly sick, but I see now that a good night's rest did you a lot of good. I'm sure you'll be much better now," she says genuinely, with an honest smile.

He looks at her, stunned.

They soon arrive at the motel. Clark helps Aileen out of the cab and asks the driver to wait for them. As he's searching for his keys in his pocket, he suddenly realizes that the door is opened. A quick glance of X-ray vision confirms his fears. His expression darkens suddenly and his voice deepens, "Lee, stay here. There's someone inside."

"What?!"

But he has already slammed the door opened, just enough not to crush it, and is ready to catch the intruder. He stops right away, dismayed. "Lois!" The female reporter spun around when she heard the door burst open, and is now standing there, with his underwear and spare shirts in her hands in front of one of his opened suitcases. Her face is crimson from the shame.

"Clark... I..." she stammers.

Standing just behind Clark, Lee holds his right arm instinctively, sensing him tense up. She can feel his anger rising as he clenches his fists in the awkward silence. With a tremendous effort, he keeps his voice low and calm, but both women can feel the dark and angry tone in it anyway. "What are you doing here? Are you spying on me?"

"Clark... I'm sorry, but... I just wanted to know..." Her voice is now just a whisper. His piercing look makes her shiver slightly. She never noticed before how deep blue his eyes were, hidden behind those ugly glasses. But now they have nothing to do with puppy dog eyes, and it almost frightens her because she realizes that she really knows nothing about him. The weird sensation she's had about him since he returned from his world trip suddenly intensifies, and now she knows why. He's hiding something. She's now sure of it. The reporter in her wakes up again and she straightens herself, looking at him right in the eye.

"I want to know exactly what's behind all this. I know you didn't send those cards to Jimmy all those years. Where have you really been? Why did you leave in the first place?" she yells at him.

He clenches his jaw, trying desperately to calm his own anger and rage so he doesn't give himself away. In a whisper he asks, "Why do you even care?"

"Because we used to be partners!" she says, holding his gaze. She then throws his things back in his suitcase and walks past him, out the door, giving Lee a dirty glare on her way out.

Clark sighs and sits on the edge of the bed, his shoulders lowered. Lee walks forward cautiously, trying not to bump into anything in this unknown place, and reaches him. She puts her hand on his shoulder and sits beside him. Her hand follows his arm to finally take his left hand in hers. She can still feel his subtle trembling, and his anger seems to be mixed with a heavy feeling of regret.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asks softly, still brushing his hand.

He takes his hand away gently and stands up. "No. Listen..."

She cuts him off. "That's ok. Well... I think the cab is still waiting for us, assuming that our colleague hasn't taken it from us," she chuckles. "Just pack your things and let's get you to your new home, big boy."

He manages to smile at that and packs his things in no time. They're soon in the cab again, heading to their respective apartments.


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"Perry! I need to talk to you right now!" Lois says, storming into Perry White's office.

The editor-in-chief, well used to his best female reporter's bursts of anger, barely looks up at her and sighs, "Ok, what's going on, Lane."

She slaps a folder down on his desk. 'Puppy Dog eyes' is hand written on its washed blue cover. Lifting up an eyebrow, Perry opens it and finds a few notes about Kent's schedule at the Daily Planet the last few days, copies of dental and medical records, various phone numbers in Kansas, copies of his high school and college transcripts from Smallville High and Kansas State University, where, as Perry already well knew, he earned a 3.95 GPA and a BA in Journalism, and a few other documents and photos. His eyes slowly narrow. Finally he looks at Lois and asks, "Great Ceasar's Ghost, Lois, what on earth is this?!"

"This is everything I could find on Clark Kent. And guess what… Nothing. There's nothing! Like the guy is just perfect. A perfect childhood, a perfect student, a perfect reporter... Then nothing, like he ceased to exist for five years! I can't find any trace of him. His mother won't talk to me and all the cards we got from him while he was gone happened to have been scheduled to be automatically sent from around the world via the internet." To emphasize her point, she puts her two hands on the editor's desk and looks right into his eyes. "Perry, Kent is hiding something from us. I'm pretty sure he didn't take a trip around the world. Something's wrong with him!"

"Lois…"

"Listen, Chief, I don't know what it is but I'll find out. Look, don't you think it's weird that Kent came back at the exact same time Luthor showed up?" Lois begins to pace the floor in front of his desk, chewing a fingernail. She's about to say something else when, to her horror, Perry shuts the folder and tears it into pieces, then throws them in the trash can beside his desk.

"Chief!! What the…"

"Lane, that's enough," he warns her sternly.

"But…" she starts to reply, but is cut off when Perry stands and puts his fists on his desk, glaring at her.

"Clark Kent is one of my best reporters. I _chose_ him, Lois, which means that he was trustworthy then, and he still is now. I don't choose my staff on whims, Lois, and won't as long as I'm head of this paper. Kent is much more _worthy_ than you think he is and I won't allow anyone to mess with him. So now, young lady, you forget all this and leave Kent alone. I don't want to hear that you've been trying to dig up dirt on your partner ever again. Am I understood?"

Lois just nods, swallowing hard, feeling totally small all of a sudden in front of Perry White's cold anger.

"Now get out!! And you'd better use your energy finding me something good on the assignment I gave you yesterday about Luthor and how he managed to pull off this mess. You're working with Kent on this from now on."

She's about to argue but thinks better of it, seeing the deadly glare he flashes at her. Instead she just rushes out the office, tears of shame and frustration threatening to come.

* * *

Clark enters the newsroom, late again, but not that much this time. With a quick scan around the bullpen, he's relieved to see that it appears Lois hasn't mentioned her suspicions about him to anyone. The staff is busy; most of his co-workers are ignoring him, a few others barely say hello. As he tunes his hearing into different conversations and noises, seeking anything suspicious, a sudden loud and friendly "Hello, CK!" startles him. Jimmy stands behind him, a great big smile on his face.

Clark waves back shyly and smiles back. "Oh…Hi Jimmy."

"So how's the new apartment?" Jimmy asks, winking at him.

Clark blinks. "Err… It's…I mean… swell!" He flashes a goofy smile at his friend.

Jimmy is about to add something but Perry calls for him from his office, "Olsen! In my office, now!!" The young man's smile drops and he rushes to the editor-in-chief's office, leaving Clark chuckling at the scene.

"Oh, finally up, big boy?" a soft voice asks from behind him.

He turns around to find Lee, her mug full of hot coffee in hand, a cheerful expression on her face. Warmth immediately radiates from his cheeks. Yesterday he left her quite abruptly at her apartment just after they arrived. Having sensed that he _had_ to be alone, she asked nothing, just smiled and gave him a soft kiss on his cheek before she shut her door. Afterward, Clark spent no more than five minutes in his new apartment.

Jimmy was right, it was perfect, lying on the same side of the building as Lee's. Though a small apartment, Clark found it entirely furnished, and there was even a tiny balcony from where he could slip away unnoticed. After the quick rundown of the apartment, he quickly changed into his Superman persona and went to see his mother.

Once in Smallville, Clark could see that she was relieved to see him healthy again, but she was quite worried about Lois. She had received several phone calls from her and she didn't know how to answer her intrusive questions. Clark stayed with his mother all evening long, but he didn't talk about Lee or Jason. Honestly he really didn't know how to explain to his mother that he is now a father and that he left the mother of his child to give birth alone while he was on his glorious trip to hell. And how could he talk about Lee when he still doesn't know where all this is leading him? As he shrugs off his thoughts he realizes that Lee, who is sipping her coffee, is still waiting for his answer.

"Err… Oh… Yes… I mean… I'm sorry… I…" he stammers.

She laughs and says, "Hey, that wasn't a reproach. Would you just stop apologizing for everything? I just wish that I could have had you around this morning to use you as a portable '_heater_' while I was waiting for my bus. Did you notice how the temperature dropped today? It's freezing outside! I'm still shivering."

"Yes, you're right… it's getting cold outside… not that I can feel it that much…really," he tries to say. _Oh God, won't you stop stammering like an idiot, Kent?_

She laughs again and brushes his arm gently with her hand, then heads to her desk. "See you later, big boy. At least can I hope to borrow some of your warmth this evening to get back home?"

"Sure!" he says, finally smiling broadly.

Still smiling, he crosses the bullpen and reaches his desk, but as soon as he sits on his chair, Perry barks from his office, "Kent, come here!" Cringing, he takes his notepad and pen and rushes to the Chief's office.

"Hi, Ch… Sir." He then realizes that Lois is there with Jimmy. "Lois…" he barely whispers, the sudden tension in his voice clear.

"Hi Clark," she replies, almost casually. She gives him a stern look though, then turns her head.

Clark swallows hard. Perry is gazing at the city through the blinds of his windows. After a long and heavy moment of silence, he turns to his reporters, "Kent, from now on I want you working with Lois on Luthor's case. I want a full feature on him. We all know what he's done with this New Krypton…" Clark cringes inside at that name again. "…but what I want to know is how he managed it; how he came up with the stones to make it possible..."

Clark and Jimmy both snicker at that.

Perry just glares at them both. "You know what I mean."

"Crystals, Chief," Lois says, somewhat politely. Clark notices that. _Hmm, she's never nice to Perry White._

"Whatever… I want to know everything. Maybe there's something that could lead us to where ever the bastard is now." He looks at Clark then turns his focus to the photographer, "Jimmy, your article about the police van attack was crap!" Jimmy becomes white as a sheet and ducks into his chair, but Perry adds, "… so maybe hanging around with this pair of reporters might help you improve some…" He sees a spark of light flash in Olsen's eyes.

"Yes, Sir! Thanks Sir!!"

Lois rolls her eyes. _Now that's something._ Hanging around with Mister-I-am-a-perfect-mystery and the camera-kid… Perry must be _really_ mad at me.

* * *

A few hours later, Lois is at her desk with Jimmy seated on one edge and Clark leaning on the other. They spent the whole morning exchanging their notes and ideas about Luthor's case. Clark seems to relax a little as Lois acts like nothing happened yesterday. He wonders if maybe she's given up, finding nothing about him. He had always paid special attention to doing things right as Clark Kent, to not draw any unnecessary attention to himself, so there shouldn't have been anything for Lois to uncover, apart from those post cards… He _had_ been a little naïve to think that no one would look at them more closely, but really, five years ago, who really cared that much about him? Even Lois, the only one who was close to him then, was too lost in her troubled relationship with Superman to give Clark a second thought. She made it clear that Clark Kent could never be part of her life, and he knew that Superman couldn't truly have a love or a personal life. He thought that the cards would be a good idea to keep in touch in some way and maybe help him regain his position with the Daily Planet if he ever came back to Earth, but now he wishes that he had never had them sent. Lost in his thoughts again, he suddenly realizes that Lois is asking him something. "Uh, hmm… What did you say?"

Lois rolls her eyes. "I said that we just shared all our notes, I gave you my most detailed report on what happened on the boat and Luthor's scheme, you gave your theory about how NK grew from the ocean… But _that_ needs to come from Superman directly. I seriously doubt you have any expertise concerning Kryptonian technology…"

Clark shifts nervously from his corner of the desk at that statement. Lois continues, "Now, where does this all bring us? I think we absolutely need to talk to Superman about this."

"I… I don't know if he has any answers for us, apart from his knowledge of that _twisted piece of rock_... I mean… He'd only just come back to Earth the day of the first electromagnetic pulse and…" Clark stammers.

Jimmy cuts him off suddenly, "Wait a minute… The EMP… The first one I mean, we never really found out what caused it, did we?"

Lois's eyes widen. "Oh my God! How could I have forgotten that!! My research led me directly to Luthor's lair at the Vanderworth mansion where that yacht was docked. I never got the chance to investigate any more there…"

"Well, I guess that's where we should start our investigation right now!" Clark says, already heading to his desk to grab his coat. _How could I have missed that? _The first EMP… He should have remembered that right away! Not only did his damned trip to Krypton make him weaker and almost kill him, but it seems to have affected his mind too. He crosses the central aisle of the bullpen, not aware that Lois and Jimmy have quite a hard time following him at this pace. They soon disappear into the elevators.

* * *

When they arrive at the Vanderworth property, Lois parks her car in the front drive, remembering that awful day when she dragged Jason along on her adventure. What was she thinking that day? She put his life in danger and almost got them both killed. If it hadn't been for the help of Richard first, then Superman... Disgusted by her selfish behavior, she shrugs off her thoughts and joins the two guys who are already climbing up the steps of the main entrance.

"The place seems to be totally deserted," Clark says after having scanned the area discreetly with his x-ray vision. He found nothing inside but realizes that he has trouble seeing through the walls because there seems to be some slight amount of lead in them, surely the old paint used to cover them initially. Yet he's absolutely sure that no one is inside or anywhere close by.

"Ok, what are we waiting for then?" Lois says, pushing the two men aside and taking an expert look at the lock. She rummages through her purse and finds her special lock pick that Clark knows all too well. He remembers when she first showed it to him almost seven years ago. He can still feel the claws of the huge dog that threw himself at them when she opened the door of the warehouse they were investigating… He'd had to launch himself between her and the animal and take the assault on his arm. Although he didn't feel anything more than firm pressure on his arm, he had to run like a frightened idiot to get the dog away from Lois. He cracks a smile at that last thought.

With the lock picked open, Lois opens the door, and it creaks on its hinges. Jimmy suddenly grabs her by the arm. "Wait a minute! Shouldn't there be a security system in a place like this?"

Clark peers inside and takes a few careful steps. He looks around and finally finds the security console, which looks to be in bad shape. All the electronic circuits have melted. "Looks like we won't be bothered by it, I guess."

The three gather cautiously together and enter the main vestibule. Clark, who has scanned the entire building, knows that there's nothing serious to be found upstairs, but something has caught his attention in the basement, more of an impression as there's too much lead for his vision to be clear. He says, "Jimmy, why don't you go upstairs with Lois, I'll try the basement."

Not too happy about letting Kent wander around alone, Lois climbs the stairs reluctantly, followed closely by Jimmy, who's still a bit uneasy about being in this place. Clark finds the entrance of the basement easily and takes the stairs down with extra care. When he reaches the bottom, it takes him a few seconds to adjust his vision to the dim atmosphere. Looking at the place a little more closely, Clark realizes that light is filtering in through a breach in the ceiling. A huge stony structure stands in the middle of what seems to be a destroyed model railroad, reaching up through the hole. Clark immediately registers its shape and his eyes widen in shock. His breath becoming uneasy, he steps back slowly but soon realizes that this thing doesn't have any kryptonite enclosed in it.

Still, something is wrong. He stays unmoving a few minutes, as if hypnotized. Visions of the beating on New Krypton flash through his mind, making him nauseous, but he quickly shrugs off the thought, concentrating on the monstrosity before him.

He takes a few steps forward and almost touches the closest chunks of dark crystal, but his fingers stop just a few inches from them. A thumping rumble seems to come from the structure, slowly becoming louder. At first he doesn't hear it; it's just a vague impression. But gradually the vibration becomes clearer, louder, and grows into a piercing sound, forcing him to wince. He slowly steps back, putting his right hand over his ear to soothe the disturbing sound but the pulse seems to find its way directly into his mind. Soon the pain becomes unbearable as the pulse, now regular and loud in his head, makes his thoughts erratic. _A countdown_..._ It's a countdown! _is all his now shattered mind is able to think as his knees give away.

Lois and Jimmy run down the stairs and to the back of the vestibule as soon as they hear the cries. Lois frantically opens the basement door and screams, "Clark!!"

The reporter is lying on the upper end of the stairs, hunched forward, crying in pain, holding his head in both hands. She launches herself at him and cautiously puts her hands on his shoulders, "Clark! What's wrong?! What happened?! Please, Talk to me!" She sees, horrified, blood dripping from his ears and his nose. She then hears a low noise coming from the basement like a muffled roar, no more than a whisper. Jimmy is petrified.

Still holding his head and writhing in pain, Clark manages to say, "... a bomb... Get out... it's a bomb! Ahhhh..." The pulse is now so intense that his mind goes numb and everything slowly fades to black.

Lois feels her partner suddenly become limp in her arms. "Clark? Oh God, Clark!! Jimmy, help me! We need to get him out of here!! NOW!!"

Jimmy snaps out of his paralyzed state and rushes to help Lois. They lift the unconscious reporter, each one taking an arm around their shoulders, and get out the mansion as fast as they can.

**BOOM!!  
**


	10. Chapter 9

A violent explosion erupts from the mansion demolishing the building instantly, and the forceful shock wave sends the three reporters to the ground as Lois and Jimmy are trying to drag Clark to relative safety behind the car. The two reporters are both knocked out by the blast, and Clark manages to regain his senses just in time to prevent them from being crushed by flying debris. His reaction occurs in a fraction of second. Still situated between his two partners, he sees everything happen in slow motion as he acts at super-speed. The world slows down around him and, using his own body to protect his companions, he turns his head and triggers his heat vision to vaporize the chunks of walls and rubble hurtling in their direction, shattering his glasses in the process. A few pieces of rock hit him directly but crumble to dust on his back. Suddenly, an entire section of the mansion roof falls down onto them. Clark quickly stands up and effortlessly knocks it into pieces with his right fist, then he grips Jimmy and Lois and flies them to safety further away from the building. He waits patiently for the rest of the explosion to subside as time seems to regain its normal speed.

A few moments later, Lois wakes up, slowly registering where she is and what has just happened. She's lying on her stomach amidst rubble of all sorts. The air is thick with smoke, which burns her eyes and throat and makes her cough. She turns her head to her left and sees Jimmy lying by her side, trying to spit the dirt out of his mouth. Suddenly, everything comes back, clear in her mind. _Clark, the bomb… _Clark!!

Getting to her knees, she scans the area and quickly finds her partner, lying unconscious on his back a few meters away, half of a broken Greco-Roman statue across his legs. Horrified, she gets up and runs to him. "Clark!! Oh, God! Clark! Wake up!! Clark!!" She shakes him but he's not moving. He's covered with dust and ashes and his long coat is tattered. His face is unrecognizable through the ash, dust, and dried blood, and his glasses are gone. Panicking, she tries to pull the statue away from him but it won't move.

"Jimmy!! Help me!" The young photographer stumbles between the rubble and helps her grab the sculpture. Clark is still unresponsive. With tears falling down her cheeks leaving a pink trail on her dusty face, Lois shakes him again vigorously. "Don't you dare die on me, Clark Kent! Wake up!!" Jimmy falls to his knees, devastated.

When he thinks that they have had enough of his little act, Clark finally pretends to wake up, his eyes fluttering open, moaning slightly.

"Clark!! Oh, thank God!" She wipes away her tears quickly and puts her hand behind his neck as he _tries _to straighten up. He immediately brings his hand to his forehead and eyes, feigning a headache, to prevent his friends from looking directly into his eyes. Jimmy is by his side in an instant, hugging him tightly, almost making Clark choke. "I thought you were out cold, man!"

Hoarsely, Clark says, "What… What happened?" With trembling hands, he fumbles through the inner pocket of his jacket and retrieves a second pair of glasses, which he immediately puts on.

Lois and Jimmy stare at him, startled. He just flashes them a goofy smile, shrugging, "Well… I'm completely blind without my glasses; I always have a spare pair… Just in case…"

Lois rolls her eyes then turns her head to where the mansion used to be. "How are we going to explain that to the Chief?"

"And to the police?" says Clark, trying to get up with false difficulty.

Jimmy is by his side again and helps him get to his feet. "Hey, don't push yourself; you've been pretty seriously banged-up. By the way, what happened in the basement? What was down there?"

Clark pretends to be totally clueless. As he has yet to figure out what exactly happened, maybe it's best that Lois and Jimmy don't know about the crystal structure. "In the basement? What do you mean?"

Lois stares at him, her eyes wide. "You were investigating the basement, Clark. Then we heard you scream and we found you lying on the stairs, obviously in a lot of pain. See…" She rubs her fingers over his jaw where some blood is still drying, then shows them to him. "You're bleeding."

He looks at the blood on her fingers and his own eyes widen in genuine shock. _He can't bleed… _He quickly raises his hand to his left ear and then looks at his own bloodied fingers in disbelief. He remembers that horrible pulse in his head and the pain that came with it, but he had no idea that it made him bleed. If Lois and Jimmy hadn't brought him away from the pulse he might have died there, or his brain might have been irreparably damaged. He keeps forgetting that he's not invulnerable to Kryptonian technology.

He begins to stammer uncertainly, "I… I don't… The last thing I remember is walking into the mansion and…" but is cut off when the familiar sound of sirens gets louder.

Soon, they are surrounded by police cars and firetrucks.

* * *

Later in the afternoon, in the editor's office, Lois, Jimmy and Clark are huddled on the sofa, waiting for the unavoidable reprimand. Clark is seated between the other two, cotton stuck in his right nostril. When the paramedics arrived at the still burning ruins of the Vanderworth mansion, he had done his best to insist that he was fine, but at Lois and Jimmy's continued urging, he finally let them at least give him a once over and clean up the blood around his ears and nose, at least to maintain his cover. He finally refused any further ministrations, signing off that he'd refused treatment. The last thing he needed was a trip to the hospital and a bunch of confused doctors trying to bring down his 'fever.'

In front of the trio, Perry paces the floor, obviously pissed. "I gave you a simple assignment and what do you bring back? Nothing! And to top it all off, you almost managed to get yourselves killed in the process!! Now I have the police commissioner hassling me on the phone for an explanation as to what three of my reporters were doing at the Vanderworth property!"

Lois immediately tries to defend their actions. "I already told the police everything, Chief. We went to investigate the origin of the first EMP, which I had traced to the Vanderworth mansion, then just as we arrived, the whole mansion blew up on us… Well I didn't tell him that we were already inside before it exploded, but that's just a minor detail, and as long as Clark doesn't remember what he saw in that basement, I don't see any reason to risk trouble with the law to write an article about finding nothing…" She looks sideway at her partner who lowers his head, ashamed.

Perry flashes a stern look at her then at Jimmy. "Olsen, I hope you still managed to get some good shots of the mansion on fire."

The young man straightens and stammers, "Y…yes Ch… Sir! My first camera broke during the explosion but I had brought a second one with me." He tries a smile but Perry just glares at him. With a whispering voice, Jimmy adds: "The photos will be on your desk in five minutes, Sir."

"They'd better be. Lois, you write me a report on this. I want it in fifteen minutes on my desk!" he barks.

"But, Chief…" she begins, but is silenced by his deadly glare. She stands up and starts to leave.

Just then the office door opens, revealing Richard, with Lee at his side. They're both obviously worried. Without any consideration for Perry, Richard walks to Lois and hugs her while Lee stands in the doorway, calling, "Clark? Mr. White, is he ok?"

Perry begins to speak, but Clark is immediately at her side, grabbing her hands in his to let her know he's here. He speaks softly, "I'm here and I'm fine, Lee. Don't worry." He hugs her gently, not noticing Lois's scrutinizing look.

She returns his hug, feeling indeed that everything seems to be ok with him; his heartbeat is normal and his voice assured. Relieved, she stays a little longer in his arms, taking advantage of the comfort he provides her.

Perry looks at the two couples awkwardly. He cracks a smile then suddenly returns to his usual self, barking, "Where do you all think you are, people!? Get out of my office and get back to work!!"

They all rush out of his office, blushing. Richard, just about to close the door behind them, looks back at his uncle and says, "Perry, don't you think that Clark should take the rest of the day off? He's been through a lot today."

The old man looks at the tall reporter walking slowly away, kindly guiding his blind colleague to her desk. "Kent's a big guy; he can handle a little headache," he says with a little smirk on his face.

* * *

A few hours later, Clark is sitting at his desk, thinking. Why those dark crystals suddenly exploded is a mystery. If only he still had his own crystals… He decides to return to the Vanderworth property as Superman to try and find some clues later tonight.

Suddenly a hand on his shoulder startles him. Richard White is just behind him, holding a cup of water and two pills. Clark looks at them, stunned.

"Take these. There's nothing better for a headache, trust me," he says, smiling broadly.

Clark realizes that, considering the situation, Perry's nephew must have misread his dark expression as pain. He considers the offer of the painkillers for a moment, and realizes he's really starting to like this man. He seems so genuine and kind. Clark feels honestly happy that Richard happens to be his son's Dad. With a slight smile, he takes the glass and swallows the pills, thanking Richard. They obviously won't do him any good, but they won't hurt him either. Richard looks at the reporter while he finishes washing down the pills, and finally says, "I also want to apologize for Lois's behavior toward you lately."

Clark looks at him, surprised. Richard adds straightforwardly, "I know she broke into your motel room yesterday and that she was spying on you. We had an argument about that."

"You know… Richard… That's nothing. I mean… I understand that… with all that's happened lately… well… she must be a little stressed and…" Clark stammers, not feeling really comfortable talking about Lois and what she did yesterday, especially with Richard. In order to put an end to this awkward conversation, Clark suddenly puts his right hand over his forehead, closing his eyes, as if the headache was coming back.

Richard reacts immediately. "Clark, are you all right?"

"I think I need to take a break…" Clark mutters.

"Ok, come on, I'll drive you home," Richard says without hesitation.

Clark certainly didn't see that coming. "Oh, I can take a taxi. I don't want to bother you… and besides… you have to take Lois home. Her car was wrecked by a piece of roof during the explosion and you have Jason to…"

Richard cuts him off, saying, "Lois left a half an hour ago with the rental car. She said she wanted to go home to clean and rest, and Jason is at a friend's party tonight. I have plenty of time before I have to go pick him up."

"But… I promised Aileen we'd share a cab this evening…" Clark says, then immediately adds, "We… we're neighbors… I mean… we live in the same complex."

Richard looks at him oddly. "You know… If I didn't know you, I'd think you're trying to avoid me, Clark."

Blushing, Clark finally says, "Oh, no… it's nothing like that, I… I mean… I just don't want to be a pain… well…"

Richard laughs openly. "Then come on, buddy! We'll take Miss Rogers with us. I was going to ask her anyway. You know, we talked a lot about you today. She seems to think pretty highly of you…" he says, winking at Clark.

Blood drains from Clark's face at that, but Richard doesn't let him answer and goes to his office to retrieve his things.

A few moments later they're in Richard's car, Clark on the passenger side.

"Thanks for driving us back, Richard. It's freezing outside tonight," Lee says cheerfully from the back seat.

"No problem, Aileen. Besides, it's part of my job to take care of my staff," Richard says, looking sideways at Clark, who shifts in his seat, quite embarrassed. Suddenly, Richard's phone rings. He answers quickly, frowning, "Richard White, here… yes… oh, ok. His mother will come and get him… Ok, thanks." He hangs up the phone and immediately dials their home number.

Having heard the conversation, Clark asks, "Is there a problem?"

"No. Jason's friend just ate too much birthday cake and now he's sick. We have to pick up Jason a little earlier. I'm calling Lois. Their house is just a few blocks away from ours," Richard says, amused.

Clark nods, thinking how much he wishes he were in Richard's place right now. To go home to a loving wife and a wonderful child... It's all he ever wanted: _a place to call home…_

The phone rings several times but no one answers. Richard is surprised. He dials Lois's mobile phone just in case. This time she answers. Clark, hearing her voice on the phone, can clearly tell that she's upset. Richard asks, "Lois? Where are you? I thought you were going home early."

"Ah, Richard… I had a little errand to run before… well, I'll be home soon." She says, not really convincing Richard or Clark.

"But where are you? We…"

Acting as if she didn't hear him, she says, "Well, ok, see you later, darling. Don't forget to pick up Jason at eight." She then hangs up, leaving Richard, mouth opened, stunned.

Clark looks at him with an inquisitive expression. "Is everything all right?"

Richard, still dazed, just says, "She's doing it again."

"What?" Lee and Clark say together.

"She knows that she's not allowed to go back to the Vanderworth property. The police secured the place for their investigation. Perry warned her about that but I saw it in her eyes when she was in his office. She wanted to go back there to find something useful." His hand punches his steering-wheel in frustration. "Sometimes she's so… so _Lois_."

_Tell me about it_, Clark thinks with a hidden smirk. But suddenly he realizes that she could be in danger. He has yet to figure out what really happened earlier, and he doesn't like the idea of her being there at night, all alone. "Richard, we should go look for her. We're not far from the Vanderworth property anyway, are we?"

"Yes, you're right. I'm sorry. I know that you guys would probably rather be at home right now…"

"Don't be sorry. It won't take long anyway," Lee says, feeling quite happy to steal a little more time from Clark.


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Lois walks down the stairs leading to the dock. Most of the gaudy statues that line the path have crumbled, falling in the way and make her short journey difficult. When she arrived at the estate earlier, she went first to the still smoking ruins of the mansion to search for any clue to what may have caused the explosion, but came out with nothing. Whatever it was, it was either entirely disintegrated by the blast or buried too deep in the rubble for her to dig it out with her bare hands. She then decided to investigate the only part of the estate still in one piece: the boat house where the Gertrude had been docked.

If only Clark hadn't forgotten what he saw in the basement, she might not be here wandering around in the cold night.

_Clark._ She remembers a time when they used to be partners, _real_ partners. She loved having the clumsy guy by her side, even if she had to save his butt more than once on an investigation. She smiles at that thought. Clark used to be so easy to deal with, to see through. He was like a giant teddy bear to her, his genuine naivety being the counterpart to her troubled mind. He preserved her sanity, keeping her from breaking down each time she pushed herself a little too far. He was always there when she needed a safe ear to talk to. He was her only true friend... until he disappeared. He chose to leave just when she needed him the most, when Superman left her, when she discovered that she was pregnant. He would have been the only one she would have told who the father was as she knew that he wouldn't have judged her. But when he left, she was left with no one to turn to.

When Perry told her that the guy had just quit, giving him a loose explanation, she just walked out of the editor's office, crossed the bullpen to the elevators, took one down to the plaza, and walked out of the building and straight ahead, her mind numb. She barely heard the screeching sound of a car braking in the street just a few inches from her, barely registered the man rushing to her as she was collapsing on the asphalt. She saw blue eyes; she thought they were _his_. She smiled, then everything went black. That's how she met Richard.

Now Clark has returned, and as fate would have it, he came back almost at the same time that Superman did. That would have sounded funny if it weren't the two men in the world who had betrayed her the most. With all the recent events, she had managed to deal with her anger at Superman. They talked, he sincerely apologized, and he has done a lot to repair what he had done and even more. Clark… well he's done nothing. No apologies, no explanation, only giving her a goofy smile and wearing an idiotic expression when he speaks to her, though she _has_ realized that he is not really the same anymore. The naive spark in his eyes is gone, he is... _different_. Something is wrong with the klutz reporter, in the way he acts, the way he speaks to her, something she can't pin down. And it's getting on her nerves. She knows that she acts like a btch most of the time with him, but she feels that she has to. Maybe it might make him react, giving her a chance to finally discover what lies behind the goofy smile that just looks so out of place on his face now. It seems though that the more she's awful to him, the more he plays the klutz and lets her wrath wash over him. She's sure now that he's trying to hide something. It scares her, and that makes her even angrier.

But this morning, when she saw him in so much pain cradled in her arms, then lying unconscious in the midst of the rubble, she realized that she wasn't just angry at him, she was also scared _for_ him. He had always been so helpless that who knows what might have happened to him during all those years without her looking after him. He was so vulnerable that anyone could have taken advantage of him. Of all the possibilities she has considered, only one has been backed up with any evidence: the day he returned, the way he acted before the explosion today… it couldn't just be a coincidence…

Lost in thought, she tries to open a crate placed in the corner of the small boat house next to the dock, when a hand on her shoulder makes her jump and scream, "Ah!"

Richard is standing just behind her. She was so absorbed in her thoughts, she didn't see him coming. "Lois. Let's get out of here, ok? If the police catch us..." he says.

Lois rolls her eyes and is about to continue her investigation when she spots Clark and Aileen making their way down the stairs. Her eyes widen and a sudden awkward pang of anger fills her. "What the hell are those two doing here?!"

"I was driving them home when Peter's mother called. Peter got sick and she asked us to pick up Jason sooner. As I thought you were already at home as _you were supposed to be_, I hoped that you could go pick him up," Richard says, barely containing his own growing anger. "I'm afraid he'll have to wait until Daddy manages to knock some sense back into Mommy's head and get her to leave this place," he finally snaps.

Just then Clark arrives, Lee at his side. Lois, already more than pissed by her fiancée's words, can clearly see Clark's reproachful expression despite the darkness. "Lois... You shouldn't have come back here alone. We still don't know what all this is about and the police has just sec..." he starts, but she cuts him off immediately.

"Who do you think you are, Clark Kent, to talk to me like that?! My fiancée? Or are you afraid that I might find something here?"

He instinctively takes a step backward, shocked by her tirade, and stumbles into one of the crates. The wood cracks under his back but nobody notices. Lee stands in the doorway, her head tilted, frowning. Richard, clearly seeing the storm coming, puts his hand on Lois's shoulder, "Lois... that's enough... We should..."

Now that her warm feelings for her partner have shattered into pieces again, replaced by the sudden urge to kick his sorry behind, she pulls Richard's hand away and steps closer to Clark.

The reporter, who is now clutching the edge of the crate slightly, prepares himself for the inevitable wrath of Mad Dog Lane. Since he's returned, she's used him as her mental punching bag. At first he thought that it was ok; she needed to be angry at someone to keep her sanity... She went through a lot with Luthor and what he did to her and Jason. On top of that she had to face her own doubts about her relationship with Superman. She was about to loose control of her life again, and Clark knew that it was not an option for her. And above all, he felt that _he deserved it_… well, Superman deserved it, too, but she cared too much for _him_. So he accepted his fate and faced her wrath more than once, knowing that it kept her from falling apart. But now he's getting tired of this sick game. It's gone a little too far for him. She's now threatening his cover by digging into his life and he can't allow that, not now, when he's trying so hard to put it back together.

"Lois, you're overreacting and…" he starts, but once again she cuts him off.

"Shut up! You realize that you know what was down in that basement this morning before it exploded?"

"What!?" he says, his pitch high from the surprise, blood draining from his face.

She points a threatening finger at his chest. "Yes, you knew there was a bomb because _you_ triggered it to cover Luthor's tracks!! Luthor asked you to do it, just like he asked you to study all my moves at the Daily Planet since you came back!!"

Richard and Lee are just too stunned to talk. What is Lois talking about?

Clark looks at her, horrified. _How… how can she think of me as one of Luthor's thugs_? Even this thought is too hard for him to comprehend.

"You came back just when Luthor made his first move. Don't you think that's weird? Where have you been all these years? Where the _hell_ have you been, Clark?!" She is now screaming at him, looking right into his blank face, trying to see any hint, any clue that he's not what she just said he is. But everything fell into place this afternoon when she put the pieces together. The bleeding from his ears, his pain, then his reluctance to be examined by the paramedics: _he must have been brainwashed by Luthor!! _"He has you under his control, Clark…" A sudden, frightening realization crosses her mind. "Oh My God... He could be listening to us right now as we speak! You could have some kind of listening device hidden on you right now! Let's see about that…"

She suddenly grabs his shirt and rips it open with both hands, hoping to find a microphone or something. Clark gasps in shock and falls backward, crushing the crate beneath him. Lois just looks at him, her jaw dropping.

The shirt, now ripped opened, reveals nothing but his bare chest rising and falling with his short breaths, his tie hanging over it awkwardly. She finds herself feeling completely stupid.

After a long moment, Clark finally straightens, untangling himself from the crushed, empty crate, and looks at her with the same dark expression as the one he flashed at her in the motel. Lois jerks away, fear suddenly filling her. She could swear that she just saw red sparks of light dancing in his pupils. Nonsense. She sees him try in vain to close his shirt, though he knows from experience that the buttons are gone.

"Clark, I…" she stammers but the next words stay stuck in her throat as he flashes her a deadly glare that she wouldn't have thought he was capable of.

"Luthor's puppet, huh!?" he snaps bitterly. "You really want to know what I did during these five goddamned years, Lois?" His voice is low and sinister. "You really want to know the truth?"

The tension is now palpable in the small room. Richard just stares at the scene, stunned, and Lee holds her breath. Never leaving her eyes, Clark straightens a little more and says, not even trying to keep his mild-mannered reporter tone, "You're right. I didn't send those cards. My mother did. She used the internet to send them."

Lois's heartbeat pounds loudly in her chest from both fear and anticipation. She tries to hold his gaze.

He continues, his voice still low and ice-cold, "I left to try to find my parents, my _real_ parents. I needed… to know where I _belonged_. But…" He sighs deeply and closes his eyes. "But they were dead, _all dead_, and the place where they used to live had been exposed to deadly radiation. I got… contaminated… I've been in a comatose state almost the entire time, Lois… That's the truth," he finally says with a tremor in his voice, looking back at her.

A heavy silence fills the boat house. Richard's eyes widen slowly but he says nothing. Lois doesn't know what to do. She can clearly see the pain and sadness in his eyes. _He's really telling the truth. _She feels suddenly awful and ashamed. It's all her fault. She's just been so ridiculously wrong and plain stupid. She finally manages to say, "Why… why didn't you just tell me the truth when you left? Why did you resign?"

He looks at her with a weird expression, full of sadness and anger melted together. "Because nobody _cared_ about it at the time, Lois, not even you. And you shouldn't care about it right now either. Just… leave me alone."

Her jaw drops as she watches him turn away and leave. He walks past Lee, who tries to brush his arm shyly, but he ignores it and just leaves, his head low. Richard looks at him, then at Lois, who seems paralyzed, tears threatening to come, then to the reporter again, who is already far up the stairs. He hesitates a moment, then leaves the two women there in the boat house and runs to catch Clark. He's not really sure what he's going to say to him, but he knows that he doesn't want to face Lois right now. He wouldn't be kind to her, and he knows he would regret it later.

* * *

Lois slowly walks to the end of the dock, tears in her eyes. A chill runs down her spine and she adjusts her coat tighter. She looks up and sees small snowflakes floating silently. She chuckles bitterly. _Snow in October?_… She hates snow. She shivers again but she knows that it's not only from the cold; she hurt him. She feels so bad for it.

"Happy?" Lee is just a few steps away, slowly making her way toward her, her hands following the railing cautiously. Lois looks back at her and rolls her eyes. _If she hasn't had enough already…  
_  
Lee says, her voice full of anger, "Is it a sick game of yours to bring your men down to their knees? Do you enjoy yourself seeing their hearts shatter to pieces?" Lois turns her head away, gazing at the tiny snowflakes falling on the calm water, melting on its surface. The young red-haired woman adds, an obvious tremor in her softening voice, "Why Clark, Lois? Why _him_? Why do you work so hard to put him down, when all he wants is to be loved… _by you_?"

Lois turns around and stares at Lee, stunned. _Clark_ _loves me?! _Her eyes widen in shock as the discussion she had with him on his first day back, while she was desperately hailing a cab, comes back to her.

"… _and maybe he _had_ to go and he wanted to say goodbye, but he couldn't find the guts to do it, because maybe if he saw you, even one last time… Well, maybe he was afraid that if he even looked at you just… once… he would never be able to… leave_."

How could she have missed that? He wasn't talking about Superman, he was just trying to apologize in his own way… his _Clark_ way. How could she be so stupid?! She walks closer to the edge of the dock, needing some air. Her chest is tightening from the guilt and she is weak in the knees.

Lee comes closer, crying silently. "Why are normal people so blind? Why can't they just see what is important? You know Lois, I pity you. If only you could see Clark as _I_ see him… He's beautiful, Lois, so heavenly beautiful…" Her voice is now just a whisper.

Lois closes her eyes, fighting a wave of nausea. _Shut up… just shut the hell up_, she thinks, then suddenly the world seems to tilt dangerously before her eyes. She collapses on the wooden dock now covered with a fine layer of snow.

"Lois!" Lee immediately senses that her colleague is falling. She rushes forward and throws her arms out in an attempt to grab her, but the ground is slippery from the snow. She trips on Lois's legs and hits her head on the edge of the dock before plummeting head first into the freezing water.  
"Aileen!! Oh my God! HELP!!!" Lois screams.

* * *

A few moments earlier, Richard just managed to catch up with Clark. Out of breath, he tries to match the reporter's pace as he walks down the driveway. "Clark… Clark! Please, stop." He tentatively puts his hand on the other man's shoulder.

Clark sighs and finally stops, looking at the sky. Snowflakes are falling down from the thick clouds illuminated from underneath by the lights of the city. _Snow in October?_... _I love snow_… Snow always soothes his mind, its pureness reminding him of the world he only knows from the holos his father sent with him. Krypton.

He wishes that he could just fly away right now, but Richard was clever enough to follow him.

"Richard… I…" he starts, but words don't come.

"Clark, I'm so sorry… I … I don't know what to say…" the assistant editor stammers. He feels so ashamed to have let Lois go so far with the poor guy. He knew from the beginning that something was wrong with her behavior, but he let it continue as long as it kept her mind off of _him_.

"You want to do something for me, Richard? Find me a new job in another department… Wait… forget that. I'll see Perry tomorrow. I'll just tell him that I quit." He resumes his walk.

Richard's jaw drops. "You… you can't do that!" He feels anger coming again. "I can't believe you'd be such a coward!!"

Clark stops suddenly, clenching his fists, and turns to look at him. He's about to say something, when suddenly his gaze shifts from Richard to a distant point behind him. His eyes widen and he says, "Something's happened." He starts to run back in the direction of the dock, leaving Richard there, stunned.

"Hey! What the…" He hears the screams. _Lois_… She's screaming!

* * *

Clark tries to keep his pace to an almost human speed, fighting the urge to just use his super-speed to reach to the dock faster. He used his x-ray vision and he saw _her_. He focused his super-hearing on her heartbeat and knows that it stopped a few seconds ago. _Lee…_ Not her, not now! Richard is running behind him as fast as he can, careful not to slip on the snowy stairs.

Lois, gone crazy with fear, is kneeling on the edge of the dock, trying desperately to spot Aileen in the deep, dark water, calling for her. Suddenly, she turns her head to see Clark running like mad down the dock, followed by Richard. She's about to tell them what had just happened, but her partner is too fast and jumps off of the dock, diving into the water in a split second, barely getting rid of his jacket first.

Now out of sight, he swims fast, heading directly for the lifeless form of his friend. When he catches her, he swims upward to the surface as fast as he can, and makes a show of catching his breath when he breaks through to the cold night air. With Lee secured under one arm, he swims back to the dock, where Richard and Lois are waiting, scared out of their minds. As soon as he reaches it, Richard grabs Lee by her armpits and lifts her, laying her on the dock, while Lois helps Clark climb up out of the water.

Richard lowers his head to Aileen's face, listening for her breaths, and puts his right hand on her chest for a few seconds. "She's not breathing!" With his other hand he probes her throat beneath her jawline. "I can't find a pulse, either!"

Clark, dripping wet, quickly kneels at the unconscious woman's side. He pulls the panels of her coat away and rips her turtleneck sweater open effortlessly. Leaving her bra in place, he lifts her chin and blows gently into her mouth two times, pinching her nose, then places both of his hands together on her chest, fingers crossed, and begins CPR compressions. He counts quietly, "1,2,3,4…" to keep his pace regular and to avoid thinking of the fear that's seizing him now.

Of all the powers he's blessed with, none of those can make a difference now to save the young woman. He's wanted so much to feel human for so long, but now he's faced with human limitations, performing the only human rescue procedure available the keep her blood circulating. Seeing that nothing happens as he does the CPR sequence for the third time, he glances up at Richard and Lois, who are kneeling by Lee's side, Lois sobbing silently, stroking the other woman's hair. He makes a quick decision. It would take only a few seconds to fly her to Memorial Hospital, say three, maybe four minutes to have the doctors take care of her… She drowned herself in freezing water, which means that hypothermia will protect her a little longer from brain damage after the cardiac arrest… But it will blow his cover… _To hell with my damned cover!!_

Having made up his mind, he blows gently in her mouth two last times and prepares to take her in his arms to get out of here, when suddenly she jerks up from the dock, coughing and wheezing. Completely panicked and disoriented, she grasps Clark's open, wet shirt and tries to sit up, her eyes wide, her body shaking violently.

"Oh, my… thank god!" Richard says, sighing, slowly recovering from his fear. Lois is clutching him now and is crying from joy and relief.

Clark pulls Lee's trembling frame into his arms immediately, and gently rocks her, his right hand brushing her wet hair away from her forehead. "It's ok. Just breathe… feel my warmth…" he softly whispers, closing his eyes and resting his chin on the top of her head.

Seeing that both Lee and Clark are soaked, Richard says, "We should take both of you to the hospital now."

Clark looks up at him, his expression relieved but somehow still dazed behind his glasses, which are miraculously still in place. After a quick glance at the young lady who is trembling in his arms, he finally says, "No, she's ok now. Water didn't get into her lungs. All she needs now is to get warmed up."

Richard nods and stands up. "There's a blanket in my car. Let's go." He helps Lois get up, and the four head slowly back to the cars, Lee still held secure in Clark's arms.


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Richard glances at the rear view mirror. Clark is seated in the back, gazing out at the city, Lee on his lap, both wrapped in the same blanket. Since leaving the Vanderworth property, neither have said a word. Richard ordered Lois to go pick Jason up and wait for him at their house. She didn't argue and just left, after a quick glance at Clark, who seemed oblivious of everything other than the trembling woman in his arms.

Clark's expression is odd, almost expressionless, Richard thinks. Lois seems to have done much more damage than he thought she had. He just hopes now that the reporter will come back to his senses tomorrow and won't run away again. He knows he has to talk to him, to show him that he's much more valuable than he thinks he is. There are people who care for him. Aileen, Jimmy, Perry do… _he does_. He doesn't know why, but he feels close to the guy. His thoughts are interrupted when they arrive at the apartment complex parking lot. It seems to be a quiet place. _It suits Kent a lot…_

He quickly gets out of the car and opens the back door to help Clark get out with Lee in his arms.

"Do you need any help?" he asks.

"No… thanks Richard. I… I'll take care of her… go back to Lois… I think she needs you right now…" Clark stammers, then he walks away.

Richard watches them disappear into the first building, amazed that the reporter still cares for Lois's comfort, even after what happened tonight. He shakes his head and gets back in his car.

* * *

Clark shuts the door of Lee's apartment behind him with a swift move of his feet. He quickly switches on the living-room lights with his free hand and carries Lee to the couch. After unwrapping himself from the blanket, he pulls it over her. Having dozed off in his embrace, the sudden loss of warmth wakes her up.

"Clark? Where… where am I?" she asks, shaking like crazy.

"Shh… It's ok. We're in your apartment now. Just wait here. I promise I won't be long," he says, brushing her shoulders lightly through the blanket. She nods and hears him walk out and shut the door.

After what seems like only ten or fifteen seconds, she hears the door knob again. He's back. "Back already?! What did you do?"

"Oh… I just changed into some dry clothes… you know…" he says, brushing his almost dried hair away from his face. He wears a dark red flannel shirt and a pair of jeans. His glasses are gone, but he knows that that's not important right now.

"That fast?! You were only gone a few seconds!"

"Err… You must have dozed off again, I guess…" he answers. "I'm not _that_ fast…" He hates to lie to her. He sighs and tries to concentrate on more practical things. She's still trembling, goose bumps all other her pale skin. She needs to have her wet clothes taken off.

Lee hates cold. She can't stop the shiver and the trembling of her teeth, and it makes registering her surroundings harder. She tries to rub her upper arms and focuses her mind on Clark. He's coming close to her. She can smell his fresh clean clothes mixed with the sent of the river shore. As soon as he kneels beside the couch, she can feel his unusual warmth and she reaches out for it unknowingly, leaning toward him. He steadies her, putting both hands on her shoulders, and gently pushes the blanket away.

"You… you need to get rid of your clothes… they're wet," he whispers, warmth rising on his cheeks.

She just nods and proceeds to pull her sweater away, but her trembling hands won't cooperate and her moves are erratic. She suddenly feels big, warm hands on her shoulders. They quickly pull her tattered sweater away, then she feels fingers unfasten the zipper of her jeans. She tries to forget her embarrassment and helps him as much as she can, lifting herself a little to let him grab her jeans and pull them off her legs. She can clearly hear his shallow breath as he tries not to gaze at her soft pale skin while doing so. Soon she's in her underwear and is happy for once that she's not able to see his face at that very moment. She knows that he must be blushing as brightly as her right now. But the shivering has returned now that the cool air of the apartment is on her exposed skin. She hears Clark leave her again, standing up, and she tucks her legs beneath her on the couch to keep as much warmth as she can.

Clark unbuttons his shirt and shrugs it off quickly to put it over her shoulders. She immediately feels the warmth on her back and the softness of the flannel.

"I… I thought that it would be better to warm it up… before giving it to you. You'll be much better… with… I mean…" he stammers.

Now feeling a little better, she manages to get rid of her still wet and cold bra and lets it fall on the ground at Clark's feet. Her underpants join it next. The young man is now crimson and swallows hard as he sees her slip into his shirt and wrap it around her beautiful, naked body. But the shiver has returned. He sees her rock back and forth trying to make it stop. She's so beautiful… He could have lost her tonight. Sitting on the couch just behind her, he leans back and gently forces her to lean against him. She cuddles herself onto his lap, her legs huddled up, her head on his shoulder, her right hand on the small of his back while the other is nestled on the middle of his bare chest. His strong bare arms circle her shivering frame, his hands rubbing her gently through the fabric of his shirt. She closes her eyes and just savors the magical moment.

He whispers, "Use my warmth, Lee… it's all yours."

She nuzzles under his chin and her cheek comes in contact with the chain of his necklace. As her hand wanders up to touch it, she feels him stiffen slightly, but he relaxes immediately. She feels the smoothness of the little object hanging from the chain. _A polished stone?_

In a soft voice, she asks, "What is it?"

"… It was a gift… from my _Father_. It's a… crystal," he simply says. He can feel that her body is warming up a little, the shivering is subsiding. He rests his chin on her soft hair and sighs. She plays with his crystal a moment, then caresses the tender skin of his neck with her fingertips, tracing the line from his jaw to his collarbone. She can hear his breath getting swallow when her fingers slowly slide down to the middle of his chest and start to explore its chiseled shape. When they brush the tip of his exposed nipple, she feels him shiver slightly and desperately try to suppress a moan. Yet he does nothing to stop her. Taking that as an invitation, her lips open slightly and begin to taste the tender flesh just under his ear while her fingers move down to explore his abdomen. He's oddly muscular for a man who has spent the last few years in coma… But she shrugs off this thought, hearing his moans and feeling him shift beneath her.

"What… what are you… doing…" he whispers, out of breath, his right hand wandering unwillingly to her left thigh.

"I'm suggestive enough… don't you think?" she whispers, sucking gently on his left earlobe. "…And I'm sure that at least your right hand is ok with that, judging by what it's doing right now…"

He realizes that his right hand has indeed sneaked under her shirt and is now caressing her smooth, bare hip. Eyes wide, he jerks it away and straightens, trying to push his so lovable friend away from his lap before she realizes how right she is...

* * *

"Oh, um… I'm sorry… I…" He quickly gets up, running his hand nervously through his dark hair.

Lee wants to scream out of frustration but she says nothing. She closes her eyes and sighs. _He's running away_..._ again… _Each time she thinks that she has reached him, he just closes himself off again. "Is it because of _her_?"

He looks at her, dumbfounded. "No!" he says in a high pitched tone. He sighs and whispers, "No… I…"

She gets up and stands in front of him. Putting her hands on his upper arms, she rubs them softly and says, "Clark… I know that you're still hiding something. Is that the reason why you keep distancing yourself from me?" He tenses under her fingers. She comes closer, unwillingly begging for his warmth. "Whatever it is… I know you think that you have good reasons…"

He closes his eyes and lets her come even closer. Her body presses against his own now, and she encircles his waist with her arms and leans her forehead against his chest. After a moment of hesitation, he returns the hug, brushing her back tenderly. He feels her smooth curves under his fingers through the flannel, and warmth spreads throughout his already excited body.

"But you can't stay like that forever. It's killing you and you know it," she whispers, her cool breath tickling his skin. "You have to trust the people around you, Clark."

"It's not that simple…" he says with a tremor in his voice. He can't tell her who he is and he can't give in to his own feelings… he has _no right_ to do that. He was sent to Earth for a reason; Jor-el told him that, even his father said it. He has a mission to accomplish. He is Superman… Clark Kent is just a costume… he doesn't really exist. Lee deserves better than a ghost, and Lois, _Lois_…

As if she read his mind, she says, "I'm not Lois, Clark… And you're not… Superman."

He clenches his jaw and shuts his eyes, fighting the urge to scream. _She's wrong, she is so wrong_, he thinks. He's nothing more than an outcast who's trying his damnedest to help. An outcast with no home, no real life. He is a permanent headline in the press, an idea… just an idea… nothing more.

Lee suddenly feels his body shake, and gasps when he falls to his knees, burying his face into her belly. He's crying, clutching the back of her shirt with his trembling hands, threatening to tear it. Trying to ease the knot in her throat, she strokes his silky hair softly, feeling the burning tears wetting her exposed skin. They stay like this a moment, in the middle of the living room, this gentle giant sobbing, his cheek pressed against her belly, clutching her back as if his life depended on it.

After a moment, she starts to sing softly… just a murmur. Her soothing voice envelops him slowly as she rocks him ever so slightly. He knows that song… it seems to come out of the past. Ma used to sing that song to him when he was just a toddler. As his sobs begin to subside, he nuzzles her stomach with his head and closes his eyes, feeling suddenly at peace. Home… this is like home…_ this is home, _he thinks.

"Lee… you need to know… I…" he starts, but his bloodshot eyes snap open suddenly. He focuses his hearing, then sighs. "Sorry… I… have to go…"

As he gets up, brushing his wet face with the back of his right hand, she asks, "Clark... What do I need to know?"

He looks at her and his expression saddens. She's so beautiful. His red shirt on her perfect little body has an effect on him that he can't deny. An old thought strikes him again: _so close to happiness without being able to reach it. _That's his curse. "I'm sorry… Goodnight, Lee."

* * *

He leaves her there and shuts the door behind him, then quickly takes the stairs up to the roof of the apartment complex. Arriving there, he looks at the sky. The snow has stopped. He takes a deep breath and starts to run, concentrating briefly. The crystal on his neck begins to glow, illuminated brightly from within, and changes into the magnificent 'S' shield. It grows and settles on his bare chest, then the rest of the suit materializes, his everyday pants and shoes disintegrating in the process, all this happening in the fraction of a second.

His long cape flaps in the air. He's gone.

* * *

"So… are your men ready?" Lex asks a tall man in a black military stealth suit, his voice sugary.

"Yes, they are in position. They'll follow him until we see a good opportunity. The second unit is also in place and ready," the man says, his expression stern and professional.

Lex takes a few seconds to stare at the mercenary. This man must have been chiseled in rock, his face half disfigured and his eyes piercing. The bald man can't help but be amazed with his own good taste in finding the right men to work for him. This one is just perfect for the job: emotionless, he'll know no pity. _That's good. _"All right. Let the games begin!" he says, waving his hands theatrically in the air.

* * *


	13. Chapter 12

**WARNING: This chapter contains major sexual content and mild violence. **

**Chapter 12**

Kal-El rockets through the city, darting and weaving between the buildings. For once, his daily duty is starting with Metropolis, as the unexpected snow at this time of the year has had some bad side-effects on the traffic in the city. Although he loves snow, he knows that it means extra work and he doesn't really need that now. _Snow in October_… _really odd_, he thinks, though he has a pretty good idea of where it's coming from: New Krypton. Its creation has disrupted the local weather systems around Metropolis in a significant way. As if people hadn't had enough with the earthquake itself… Another problem he's partially responsible for.

He soon arrives at the source of the sounds he heard from Lee's apartment and quickly scans the area to determine the gravity of the situation: it's a traffic accident, and a pretty bad one at that, but surprisingly no one seems badly injured. It looks like a car swerved from it's lane right into the side of a gas truck. A few other cars collided with each other just behind, and a fire has started in the third one. Most of the passengers have gotten out of their vehicles on their own, but some seem either stuck or paralyzed with shock.

Kal-El gracefully hovers above the traffic jam caused by the accident and quickly lands near the car on fire. He blows the flames away just in time, before the gasoline leaking from the truck gets to it. Firefighters and policemen are already arriving and cheer at his presence. As he helps a man to get out of his car, an officer comes up to him, saying, "Hey! Superman! Glad you could make it in time! If this gas had gone up in flames, it would have been a real disaster."

Kal-El looks at him with an annoyed expression. "Humans never learn," he snaps bitterly.

The officer looks at him, stunned, but the hero already regrets his words, "I'm sorry. I've had a really bad day…" and leaves him there, proceeding to go check on the remaining cars. Everybody is fine, as he thought, which is quite a miracle. He finally reaches the car that's half trapped under the truck and easily pull it out. A quick glance with x-ray vision assures him that its driver is ok but the woman seems to be having trouble opening the crumpled door.

"Let me help you, Ma'am," he says politely with his deep, warm voice while tearing the door off the car as if it was just a simple sheet of paper. He holds his hand out gentlemanly to help her get out, but gasps when his eyes lower onto her. "…Lois?"

She looks at him, still a little dazed from the shock. Realizing that he's staring at her like an idiot, his mouth dropped open, she says, "What?! Do I have something on my nose?" Would you please stop staring at me like that and help me get out of this fing car?"

He blinks a few times and it gives her a chill down her spine, but she doesn't know why. He suddenly regains his composure and straightens himself. "Err… yes, of course. What happened, Lois?" he asks while gently helping her out.

"Well… I was trying to light this damned cigarette…" She shows him the bent and broken cigarette, eying it with disgust, then tosses it away. "… and my fing lighter fell on the floor. I tried to reach for it and I think I pulled the wheel a little too far to the left, and with that damned snow, you know…"

He raises an eyebrow and crosses his arms. She presses her lips together, then says, "Don't you dare say anything! I know it wasn't exactly the smartest thing I've ever done. It was stupid of me to get distracted like that... absolutely stupid, ok!!"

"You're lucky you had your seatbelt on and the airbag to protect you, and you're lucky no one got hurt or killed in the process!" he scolds her.

"Hey, that's what you're here for, aren't you?" she snaps back, returning his glare.

He clenches his jaw and flashes a hurt expression at her. She immediately regrets what she has just said and brushes his left arm, sighing angrily. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean that… I… I had a pretty bad day."

His expression softens. _Tell me about it_, he thinks. "It's ok. I know you did…"

"No, I'm not talking about the Vanderworth blast… It's something…bad…that I did… to a friend… a close friend." She looks at her feet. Kal-El's heart leaps at that. Suddenly her head jerks up. "Wait a minute… You knew about the explosion and you didn't come to help us?!"

Taken aback, he raises one eyebrow and shrugs his shoulders, just about to say something when a few policemen come their way. _Uh_, _oh_… _Lois is in trouble now_… he thinks. He swiftly scoops her up in his arms before she can react and says to them, "Gentlemen, I'm taking this woman to the hospital. She's… in shock." He looks at her quickly.

She looks up at him quizzically, then suddenly becomes limp in his arms, theatrically putting her hand on her forehead. "Wow… my head…" She closes her eyes and leans her head on his shoulder, feigning a blackout.

The hero smiles apologetically at the dubious policemen and takes off quickly with Lois in his arms.

When they are high above the city he flies slowly in the direction of her house. Lois has put her arms around his neck and gazes silently at the lights below. She still loves these flights; it's an experience like no other. No sound, just the air in her face and his incredible warmth. She looks sideway at his face; his expression is calm, soothing. She lets her thoughts drift, unknowingly brushing the back of his neck.

He feels her fingers on his skin and it gives him chills all over his body. _Lois_… _So tough_,_ yet so fragile_, he thinks. But... what was she doing here in the middle of Metropolis traffic when she was supposed to be back home with Richard and Jason?

"What is your name?" she asks him suddenly, looking straight into his eyes, putting a screeching halt to his wandering thoughts.

He stops in mid-air and looks at her, stunned. "Wh... what?"

"What's your name, your _real_ name? When we first met, I gave you the name, or should I say, nickname, 'Superman', but you never gave me your real name. On our first interview, you said that you had one, but... I mean… How could you not tell me what it is at least when we were-? I mean… You gave me a child and I still know nothing about you, not even as simple a thing as your own name!!" She begins to feel angry again although she didn't intend to.

"Err… you never asked…" he replies honestly.

"Well… I'm asking you now," she says, looking at him defiantly.

He sighs and looks away, gazing at the city. She shifts impatiently in his arms. He looks back at her with his impossibly deep blue eyes. "Why do you care now?"

She's struck by his answer that echoes with Clark's words to her earlier. She's hurt them both and slowly starts to realize how much. Unable to hold his gaze, she looks below and says softly, "Why haven't you visited us in the last few days? Jason's been asking about you."

"I thought that… you made it clear that you didn't want me to interfere with Jason's life… or yours… anymore…" he slowly speaks as each word burns his throat.

"I… Well, you know… Jason is just a kid... and you made a great impression on him when you saved us on the boat, so it's normal that he wants to see his hero…" she answers, peering at his reaction.

He looks at her for a moment with an odd expression. "Kal-El…"

"What?" she says, frowning.

"My birth name is Kal-El."

Without another word he tilts forward, flying again. As they pass over the city, she mouths the name silently, mesmerized by its sound and the realization that he's just given her something precious.

* * *

Richard paces the bricks of the patio. The argument he'd had with Lois had been pretty ugly. Of course they had to argue… He couldn't keep his anger to himself any longer, and just couldn't let her get away with what she had done to her partner and whatever had happened on the dock, that forced Lee to take a bath in the river. He told her how he despised her recent behavior toward Kent and even toward Superman. Ok, the latter might have deserved a good punch on the nose, assuming it would have any effect on him but, God, he had already paid for what he'd done; losing the woman he loved and losing the right to be the father of his own son… What could be more devastating?

But Clark… well the poor soul did nothing wrong but leave without 'Mad Dog Lane's' permission. He had his reasons, and good ones it seems. It was common knowledge at the Planet that Kent had always had a crush on Lois. Richard could easily understand the poor guy's feelings at the time, when she was lost in her turmoiled relationship with the super hero. Who could compete with that?

He has had sympathy for Clark since the first day he met him, and he knows Jason has too. Now he's beginning to understand why: Kent is a genuine, kind person, one of the few left in this world that you can rely on, who helps old ladies cross the street, who'll give you his last dollar when you're broke in front of the coffee machine, one of the few who'll quit this world on tip toes if you don't pay attention. Clark almost died on his five years trip and nobody cared... Well, nobody knew either, but... In a way, Lois hit him where it hurt with her accusations, forcing him to reveal himself a little, which was good because his story appeared to be so weird. They finally learned what really happened to him, and that truth explains his behavior a lot better than Lois's rambling about a conspiracy with Luthor.

Suddenly something catches his attention. He turns around to see Superman drifting down from the sky, with Lois in his arms. His jaw drops as the hero lands and puts Richard's fiancée on her feet. He feels quite intimidated to be in front of him for the third time. It's not just his super-powers… it's the fact that this being comes from another planet. Everything about him exudes greatness and power mixed with some sort of genuine innocence, he thinks, seeing him fit and healthy now, and not dripping wet or laying injured in his seaplane.

_Wait a minute_… _He's here with Lois_, _my Lois in his arms_? _What the_… he suddenly thinks to himself. "Lois…" he starts, his light blue eyes darting to her.

"Before you say anything, I crashed the rental car into a truck," she just says, trying to keep her composure in front of her fiancée.

"You what!?!" he starts, eyes wide, but she cuts him off right away.

"I know. I wasn't paying attention… but don't worry, I've been given the lecture already," she says, eying Kal-El over her shoulder.

Shocked, Richard looks at her, then at Superman, who just flashes a lopsided smile at him. Before he can say anything more, Jason suddenly appears out of nowhere from behind him and runs to Kal-El. As the little boy hugs him tightly, he glances at Richard and Lois who stare at the scene in shock.

"Err… Hi Jason…" he says softly to the boy, kneeling to be at his eye level and roughing up his hair.

The little boy says genuinely, "I knew you'd come tonight. I heard Daddy and Mommy scream a lot at each other and I know that when Mommy is angry, she always does dumb things after that and gets into trouble; that's what Daddy always says…"

Superman stares at the pair who are now both wide eyed. Seeing their crimson faces, he starts to giggle but stops immediately when Lois flashes a 'don't-even-try-it' glare at him.

"Well… Jason, it's really cold tonight and... I think it's time to go to bed. I'll come back to visit you soon, I promise," he says to the boy, quickly glancing at Richard and seeing his appreciation.

The young man just nods as Lois takes the hand of her son and leads him inside. Turning to face Superman, she says, with a soft voice, "I… forgot to say thank you… for rescuing me and for the little show in front of the police…"

"That was… nothing. Goodnight Lois, goodnight Jason," he says, smiling gently.

She smiles back and Jason waves at him, then they disappear into her house, leaving the two men on the patio. Richard sighs. It's been a really awkward day. Noticing that the Man of Steel is about to leave, he says, "Err… Thank you… for saving her…"

Kal-El smiles and nods, then turns his back to him, hovering away. But before he disappears out of his sight, Richard says much lower, "… and thank you for not trying to win her back from me…"

The hero shuts his eyes a few seconds and speeds up, soon disappearing through the clouds.

* * *

Dawn is just two hours away in Metropolis. Superman flew back to the city a few moments ago after having stopped a menacing hurricane in Japan, dealt with more than eleven massive car wrecks all around Russia and Europe and saved the survivors of an airplane crash in Brazil. Finally, he has some time for himself before going to bed for an hour or two for some much needed rest. Hesitating a moment, he tries to choose between going up to the stratosphere and heading east to recharge, or going to take a look at the Vanderworth property, and finally decides for the second option. Although his scar is slightly itchy again, a clear sign that he's pushing his limits a little too far, sun can wait and the police will be back to investigate at the estate in a few hours.

He quickly dives down and flies unnoticed through the city until he reaches the river shore. He lands in the crater amidst the ruins, just where the crystal structure used to be, and starts to scan the area underneath. Finding what he's looking for, he digs easily through the debris and grabs a small chunk of dark crystal. He squints at it, making it roll into his hands, and quickly tucks it away between his back and his belt. With a last glance at the ruins, he takes off and heads back to his apartment.

Getting there at super-speed, he lands on his balcony, making sure that no one has noticed him. He enters his living-room and puts the crystal on the desk placed near the empty bookshelves. Heading to his bathroom, he casually brushes his shield with his right hand, mouthing a word in Kryptonian. The suit immediately brightens and disintegrates into his original clothes, his necklace now hanging back in place. He stops, startled, realizing that he's bare-chested, but quickly cracks a smile, remembering where he left his shirt. His cheeks flush a little at the delightful thought of Lee's naked body under it as he disappears into the bathroom.

A few moments later, after a well deserved shower, he's seated at his desk with a cup of tea, looking at the crystal, thinking. He senses the residing vibration emanating from it and the feeling is unpleasant. This crystal, like those from the crystal landmass, is corrupted. It's obvious that Luthor has used the Vanderworth basement to experiment on Kryptonian crystal technology. From the size of the structure Clark saw, that maniac must have tested just a minuscule fraction of the 'land-growing-crystal' before throwing it six days later into the ocean and somehow managing to associate it with kryptonite.

But the Vanderworth crystal structure exploded. _Why?_ His eyes suddenly widen. The painful pulse… it was a countdown… a countdown designed to be heard by Kryptonians from afar to alert them that the structure was unstable. _A warning signal_. But it was designed to work on Krypton or from space, not on a planet with a dense atmosphere like Earth. The air amplified the signal far too much for his special hearing. He happened to be investigating the Vanderworth mansion just as it was starting and he found himself too close to it; that's why the pulse hurt him. Everything becomes clear now; Jor-El had told him once about similar kinds of security systems. Luthor stole his technology but misused it, and what was grown out of that had a self-destruct program embedded inside it. _Oh, my… that means that that monstrosity I sent orbiting into space is going to explode as well, and some of it will fall back to Earth, causing horrible damage_! _But when_?

He searches his memory for what Jor-El has taught him about corrupted crystals and the ratio between size and degree of corruption and he tries to calculate the delay of the orbiting continent's auto-destruct with what he already knows. The ratio is not linear but exponential; with all these different elements in the equation, the task will be difficult without the help of the FOS crystals. Clark picks up his briefcase and digs into it, finding his notepad and a pen. He starts to write in Kryptonian at a fast pace and the paper is soon filled with equations, calculations and symbols.

* * *

Too focused on his scribbling, Clark doesn't notice that his front door has opened, and he literally jumps from his chair when a hand touches his bare left shoulder. He turns around, trying clumsily to hide the many sheets of paper full of Kryptonian symbols on his desk. Relieved, he realizes that it's pointless when he sees Lee standing there just behind him, still in his shirt, smiling gracefully.

"Lee… What are you doing here? What time is it?" he asks, having lost track of time.

She pulls on his shoulder to make him turn around completely in his swivel chair and steps closer, settling herself between his thighs, pushing them apart slightly. "I came to give this back to you…" she says in a sultry voice, slowly undoing the buttons of her shirt, exposing her pale skin little by little.

Alarmed, he tries to protest, "Lee! Whahmff…" but she's leaned against him and captured his mouth voraciously, wrapping her arms around his neck. At first he tenses up, trying to pull her away, but his own body soon gives in and he finally returns her kiss hungrily, his hands rapidly finding their way under her now opened shirt. She rolls her shoulders, allowing it to fall on the floor, and leaves his mouth a second to nibble his lower lip while her hands wander across his bare chest and torso, drawing her nails across his sensitive skin. He groans loudly, his eyes shaded with lust, while his hands dance over her beautiful body. She suddenly jerks her head away and moans, feeling his burning warmth as he cups her breasts gently, his thumbs rolling over her nipples. She clutches his raven hair violently as he bends forward and runs his tongue across her breasts, kissing and ravishing every inch of her soft skin and kneading her flesh urgently. Her right knee pushes into his thighs and presses against his desire, rubbing it gently through the smooth fabric of his pajamas, causing him to gasp for breath and arch back on the chair, his eyes fluttering closed. She takes immediately advantage of the moment and dives into his exposed throat to cover it with hungry kisses, licking and suckling her way down to his collarbone and up to his left ear for a quick nibble. She traces his jaw line with more kisses to the other ear, her hands woven into his thick hair, keeping him in place, feeding herself with each moan, each groan she elicits from him.

Her cool writhing body pressed to his own is a delightful torture. "Lee…" he huffs, his hands cupping her backside zealously, but he can say no more, suddenly drawing a sharp breath, feeling her heat against his lower belly as she shifts her position to straddle his strong hips, making the chair creak dangerously. Resisting the urge to thrust when she starts to move her hips slightly, he desperately seeks her mouth, and when their lips lock, he whimpers loudly into her, running his fingers through her soft hair, trying to keep control of himself.

While her right hand grabs the back of his neck to make sure he doesn't break the kiss, her left hand slowly wanders down to his belly, then, insinuating itself between their bodies, it slides beneath the elastic waistband of his pajamas. The contact of her palm cupping him firmly makes him gasp loudly. As he breathes heavily, his hands snap away from her body and reach behind him to clamp the edge of the desk, cracking the wood beneath his fingers. He draws away from their kiss and arches back at her exquisite touch as it sends fire and lightning throughout him. He throws his head back, mouth gaping and eyes shut tightly, bracing himself. Her hand slides slowly up and down his erection several times, and he's unable to keep himself from crying out in sheer ecstasy.

Lee's mouth finds his again, and Clark lets go of the desk to pull her to him fully, his hands moving up her back as his arms encircle her. The warmth of her breasts pressed against his chest is almost too much to bear, and he realizes she's stopped stroking him as her hands clench his waist. She rocks her hips against his, pressing closer into him, settling into a position that makes Clark groan loudly, breaking their kiss. He grasps her hips and arches into her, his breaths becoming quick as he feels her intense warmth through his pajamas. The sensation is electrifying, and he simply can't hold back any more.

He moves to slide his pants down past his hips, when suddenly he hears a distant female laugher echoing all around him… His eyes snap open and he finds himself alone, still seated on his chair, panting. "Lee? Lee!!" he yells as he gets up, frantically looking around. _What the hell is happening here?_ he thinks to himself as he rushes to his front door, opening it. But he backs off immediately when Lex Luthor steps into the doorway, gracing him with a bright smile.

"Lu… Luthor!" Clark stammers, slowly stepping away. He trips on his chair and falls heavily onto it, horrified to see his darkest enemy in his apartment.

"So… _partner_… how are things going? I see that you did great at the Vanderworth estate," the bald man says, walking past Clark and looking casually at his Kryptonian notes.

Clark is so stunned that he doesn't even try to hide them. "Partner? What are you talking about?!" he starts to scream.

Luthor looks at him, surprised. "Yes… of course! We're partners. You don't realize how much we need each other, my friend." Clark stiffens at that. "You provided the technology, I used it. You left Earth, I was free. I messed things around, you saved the day and got praised for that. See… we're partners!" he finally says, leaning forward to emphasize his words, smirking.

"No!! You're a sick man, Luthor! I have nothing to do with you!" Clark snaps back, standing up menacingly. But as he says that he suddenly realizes that his enemy has just disappeared.

"Don't you realize that YOU made ME! There has to be a Luthor wherever a Superman stands." Clark hears the voice echoing just behind him. He spins around and realizes that he's no longer in his little apartment, but on New Krypton, right where he was beaten. Luthor stands on top of the stairs like that fateful day and laughs evilly.

Like that day, Clark starts to feel nauseous and cold. Kryptonite, of course. His breathing becomes difficult and pain slowly intensifies in his body. Before he gets too weak, he tries to reach Luthor, determined not to let him get away this time. He stumbles uneasily as his knees threaten to give way at each step, his bare feet burned by the deadly green mineral fused with the crystal, bleeding. "I… I'll stop you…" he barely manages to say, starting to wheeze.

Just as he reaches the stairs, Luthor vanishes again and reappears just behind him, but as Clark turns again, he discovers to his horror that Lee and Lois are now here with them. Yet, both seem oblivious of their surrounding, expressionless, not responding when he desperately calls out to them.

"What do we have here? Two women you care for a lot, don't you?" Lex says as he walks slowly around the reporter in pain.

Clark, now half hunched over from pain and cold, flashes a deadly glare at him. "Leave them alone, or else I…"

As if he hasn't heard his words, Luthor continues, "… and they care for you… well, each one only loves one half of you. Isn't that grotesque?"

Clark closes his eyes, desperately trying to breathe and praying for all this to stop. "Please… leave… them… alone…" he whispers, no longer able to voice the words loudly.

"You have to find the one that can love both of you and you can't have them both… Tell me, Kal-El… which one would you choose? The one who loves Superman or the one who loves Clark Kent? Who are you? WHO ARE YOU!?" the maniac yells, suddenly making Clark's eyes snap open as he was slowly drifting into unconsciousness. Horrified, he sees Luthor placing himself between the two women, pointing a gun at each one of them, aiming at their heads.

"No… don't… please… don't…" he pleads, tears wetting his cheeks. He falls on his knees and chokes, clutching his chest from pain. He can't let him kill them, he can't let that happen. He gathers all the strength he has left and stands up. "Don't do it…" he says a little louder, clenching his jaw.

Luthor stares at him oddly, then says in a very calm voice, "If you don't choose one, you lose them both."

He fires.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

* * *

**Disclaimer : The 'dream' sequence was written in cooperation with my dear friend Saavikam who publishes 'Aftermath' here too and edits my story. THANKS!!  
**


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Clark's head jerks up from the desk. Panting, he looks around fiercely, trying to clear his mind. _A nightmare… _He just had a horrible nightmare, again. Running his still trembling hand through his hair, he closes his eyes and sighs, then glances at the clock. 7:35 am. He hauls himself heavily up from his chair and starts to walk to his bedroom when someone knocks on the front door. His eyes widen when a quick x-ray glance tells him who is behind the door. _Lois. What is she doing here? _Hiding the dark crystal and his notes in a drawer frantically and retrieving his glasses from his desk he puts them on and rushes to the door.

_I hope he's here,_ Lois thinks to herself while shifting her weight from one foot to another, a cup of Starbucks coffee in each hand. _I don't think I can do this again if he doesn't open this damned door right now. _She thought a lot about this during her night on the living room couch at home. Richard had had every right to leave her there, as he was usually the one to suffer this pain each time they argued and _she_ had a point. _Fair enough. _Last night _he_ had a point; she had acted like a btch the past few days and she earned the couch. Seeing Superman had only added to her confusion, and now she doesn't know where she stands anymore. The only thing she knows for certain is that she needs to apologize to Clark; Richard was clear on that. He doesn't want the man to run away from the Daily Planet again and she doesn't want it either; Perry would kill her this time and he would be absolutely right to do so.

The door opens suddenly, interrupting her thoughts. "Hi, Clark! I…" she starts her well rehearsed introduction, but stops in mid-sentence, her jaw dropping when she sees him, bare-chested with only his pajama pants on and his glasses, his hair roughed up and falling heavily over his eyes. She quickly glances at the small paper with Clark's address on it and the number on the door, to verify she didn't go to the wrong apartment. "Clark?"

"Err… Hi, Lois" he says shyly, gracing her with a lopsided smile and a dorky wave.

_Yes, it's really Clark_, she thinks with a little smirk on her face. "Can I… come in?" she asks, looking at him from head to toe, mesmerized by his chiseled torso. _I never would have thought that he was so…_

"Ah… Yes, of course, come in, please," he says, avoiding her gaze.

She enters, glancing around at his apartment. It looks fairly empty, un-lived in, but that's perfectly normal considering he only moved in two days ago. She turns to face him as he shuts the door and suddenly realizes that his left cheek is covered with what looks like traces of scribbling. "Err.. Clark, you have some… things written, uh... there…" she says, pointing at his left cheek.

"Oh!" he says. _My notes! I fell asleep on my notes!! _he thinks, rubbing his cheek frantically.

"Fell asleep on your work?" she adds, quite amused by his somehow guilty expression.

"Err… yes. I guess so…" he replies with a shy smile, rubbing the back of his neck. Realizing suddenly that he's standing there bare-chested in front of her as she scrutinizes him, his blood leaves his face. _My scar… she'll recognize it if she sees my back!! Oh, God!!_

Lois watches with curiosity when he begins to act awkwardly, pressing himself against the wall and stepping sideways along it to the door on his left.

"I… err… Wait a minute here, ok?... I'm… gonna put something on…" he says, tripping on a chair and almost falling on his back before disappearing into his bedroom.

_That's definitely Clark Kent. Things may not have changed that much after all_, she thinks with a slight smile, heading to the couch and putting the two cups of coffee on the coffee table.

Clark shuts the door behind him, leaning against it a moment, eyes closed. _That was a close call_, he thinks, sighing. He opens one of his suitcases and rummages through it to find a suitable t-shirt. He grabs one, but frowns immediately while he unfolds it.

"Uh… not that one…" he says with a smirk, while folding up the blue t-shirt with the well known 'S' shield printed on the front and "I'M SUPERMAN" written in huge lettering across the back. Ma had thought it really funny to buy it for him for his last birthday before he left for Krypton. He shakes his head slightly, smiling, and finally takes out a simple white t-shirt, putting it on quickly.

When he finally joins Lois in the living room, she looks back at him, gazing at him intently. _What now?_ he thinks.

"Cute necklace," she says casually, sipping at her coffee, gazing at the bright little stone hanging from it. _Quite unusual for a guy_... _but with Clark what's usual anyway_?

He blushes hard and quickly tucks it back underneath his t-shirt. _Clark, you stupid dork, why not just put a big stamp on your forehead that says "I'm SUPERMAN!?!" I might as well have put on the other t-shirt_...He sits in the armchair in front of her and accepts his cup of coffee as she offers it. "Thanks… for the coffee…"

"It's nothing…" she answers with a stiff smile.

A long silence fills the space between them.

"The coffee's good," he says, looking at his feet.

"Yes... It is," she answers.

Another silence follows.

"Clark, I -"

"Lois, I -" they speak simultaneously.

Clark sighs. "Lois, I'm sorry…" he starts, but she doesn't let him finish, _as usual_.

"Clark, I have to apologize for what I did… and said… yesterday. I…" She lowers her head and continues, "I thought I knew you… but I was wrong. I don't know where we can go from that, but I'm sure that I don't want you to leave… again… because of me." She glances up at him and is struck by his intent gaze.

"I… I don't want to leave, Lois. I mean… the Planet is part of my life. It will take time though… before… before I can… trust you again. I'm sorry…" he finally says, never leaving her eyes.

He has never talked to her like this, never been so serious, so… straight forward, not that she hadn't earned it a million times. His regretful gaze on her is like a dagger in her heart. Fighting the tears threatening to come, she answers, "I… I understand. But, Clark, I…"

Suddenly there's another knock on the door, and Clark quickly stands and goes to open it.

"Lee!" Clark says, blushing hard at the sight of the blind woman _fully dressed,_ standing in the doorway, smiling as always.

She hesitates a moment and asks shyly "Can I come in?" but immediately smells Lois's perfume. "Oh, you're not alone, sorry. I…"

As she steps backward, ready to leave, Clark grabs her hand fiercely and says, "No, stay! Come in, I… I'll make some coffee for you… please…" He then pulls her gently inside and shuts the door. Lois squints at them quizzically, and when she sees the red-haired woman handing him a red flannel shirt, she almost crushes her cup of coffee unintentionally in her hand. _His shirt_!?!

"Here… I came to give it back to you," Lee says, avoiding his hand carefully. The way he left her last night, the way he closed himself off again has made her realize that maybe she took things a little too far. But, oh God… she needed that; to not be alone anymore, or at least to share her solitude with another self-made outcast like her for even a brief moment.

"Ah… thanks… Lee…" he stammers, his face now crimson as steamy images from his recent dream come back suddenly, dancing through his mind, teasing him.

Sensing his temperature rise abruptly, radiating all around him, she says, "Clark, are you all right?"

"Ye…yes!" he finally says, swallowing hard. "C… come on. Lois is here… She brought… coffee…"

Lois, still staring at them as they approach, rolls her eyes, wondering why she's so upset to see her clumsy former partner with this… Aileen-girl. Clark leaves the two women to prepare some more coffee. Hopefully Ma gave him enough supplies when he went to see her the other night. When he comes back, they are talking casually, almost in a friendly manner. He over-heard Lois's honest apology to Lee from the kitchen, and his heart leaped when he heard his friend's wise reply: "_We all suffered a lot yesterday but sometimes things need to be said and done to be able to move on…_" He saw the weird expression on Lois's face through the wall as she understood the heavy meaning of Lee's words. Realizing that the coffee is cooling off, he looks at the mug and warms it up with a quick glance of heat vision and joins the ladies in the living room. He takes Lee's hand and gives her the mug. "Here, be careful, it's hot," he says softly.

"Thanks, Clark," the young woman replies, sipping the coffee cautiously.

Lois can't help but have a warm feeling, watching the two interact. Clark seems to be so protective with her, so… _natural_. He reminds her of Richard in some way. _Richard_, always patient and understanding. She feels suddenly out of place here, needing some air. "Well… ok. Clark, thanks for… Anyway. We'll see each other at work in a little while, ok?" She quickly gets up and heads to the door, avoiding his gaze.

"Sure. Err… Thanks… Lois… I…" he stammers again, not really sure what he should say right now. The hurt is clearly there and the wound is still so fresh.

Their eyes finally lock and in the fraction of a second, they share something, a precious feeling: _hope_.

* * *

Dr. Hamilton is seated in his big armchair in his office, intently reading the latest results of his current experiment, when his phone rings. He picks it up casually and answers, still focused on the information on his computer monitor, "Hamilton, here…Oh!" He almost falls from his chair then composes himself, his eyes glittering with pure excitement. "Hi, Superman… I was starting to wonder if you would ever call me again… after… the horrible mistake we all made about… your home planet's existence…" he finally says honestly.

Five years ago, when NASA got the information from one of their observation satellites near Mars, S.T.A.R. Labs had no way to verify its accuracy, but they still felt deeply guilty for not having scrutinized the data closer, letting the hero set out on such a dangerous journey across the universe while he was still needed on Earth so much, despite what Lois Lane might have said. When it became clear that the information had been false, it was too late; he was gone and most of the scientists, including Hamilton, thought that he was doomed, but kept this to themselves. It was better for the world to wonder what had happened to Superman, hoping that he would come back again… and he did.

"Hi, Professor. I need to see you as soon as possible. I have… some important information to share with you about the… landmass I sent into space," Kal-El says over the phone.

"Err… Sure… Come whenever you want! I'll be waiting for you," Hamilton says, now even more intrigued.

"I'll be right there." He hangs up the phone, leaving the scientist still dazed and pensive.


	15. Chapter 14

Lee runs her fingers absently over the counter, playing with the toothpicks. "Bo, what time is it, please?"

"It's almost ten o'clock, Miss Rogers," the old bartender says.

"Damn," she mutters. She should be working right now, but when Jimmy spotted her entering the bullpen this morning, he immediately noticed her depressed expression and decided to drag her here, to the Ace O'Clubs. Bo is good at listening to people; he's quite a lot like her in fact... Although today, she's more inclined to curse her ability for empathy. This morning, when Lois left them abruptly, Lee sensed the still vivid bond Clark and the other woman shared. She already knew that the tall reporter still had strong feelings for Lane, but until that moment, she didn't realize that the woman shared those same feelings. "Curse you, Mr. Nerd…" she mumbles, without realizing she said it aloud.

"You're in love with him, aren't you?" Jimmy asks almost casually, sipping at his coffee.

She tilts her head to him, smiling slightly. "Acute perception you have there, fellow reporter," she says with her usual joking tone. He smirks at that. Her expression darkens suddenly, "But I'm afraid that doesn't matter..." she says, bowing her head.

Jimmy turns to her, startled, "Why? He seems to be... Well, at least you managed to get close to him. Everybody knows that he had a crush on Miss Lane, but, judging by the way she treats him now, it won't be long until he finally gets over it and realizes that she's not the only woman on earth."

Lee smiles at the confident tone of her young friend, but says, "It may not be enough, though..." This morning when she found herself alone with Clark again she immediately sensed his embarrassed tone and his desire to get rid of her quickly, although he tried to treat her as gentlemanly as possible. He was preoccupied by something, and it was more than what happened last evening, she could have sworn it... Yet she knew that there would be no way that he would tell her, and for the first time that angered her a lot. She ended up going to work alone again with this dull feeling that she had been thrown back in time to a few days ago, when he was just Mister-I'm-a-real-jerk reporter… _You dork, don't you realize that trying to hide your double life from me is futile_? she thinks to herself, crushing the toothpicks on the bar, one by one, unwillingly.

* * *

Kal-El lands gently just outside the main entrance of S.T.A.R. Labs' New Troy facility. He addresses the guard politely, bowing his head slightly, "Hello, I'm here to see Professor Hamilton."

The man, quite intimidated by the hero's presence, says, in an animated way, "Of course! Sup... Sir." He quickly hits a button and the doors slide open.

"Thanks," Kal-El says, already heading to the main hall, his long cape floating along gracefully behind him.

A few moments later, Hamilton's intercom rings. He presses the little button and says, "Yes?"

"Professor, Superman is here," a feminine voice says.

"Oh! Yes, let him in," he replies, standing up excitedly. The door opens a few seconds later and reveals the tall caped being, shyly smiling at him. "Superman! I'm so glad to see you here." The gray haired man shakes his hand frantically, gratifying him with a big smile.

"Professor, I came here to seek your help…" Kal-El says, his expression clearly worried.

Hamilton notices that immediately, his mind racing madly already. "Oh really? I'm glad that you still trust us after…"

Superman sighs. "It wasn't your fault, Professor. I'm the only one to blame; I didn't wait for your verification about Krypton, in fact… I didn't _want_ to wait… I wanted so much to believe it was still there… I… was a fool…" he says, looking absently as the painful memories of the sight of the deadly chunk of Krypton, floating in nothingness, flood him again.

"I'm sorry. I'm just glad you made it back here alive," says Hamilton, clearly seeing the pain and regret in Superman's eyes and knowing that, right now, he's not ready to say more about it. The young alien came to him a long time ago, and Hamilton would do anything to continue to deserve the great honor of being trusted by such a wonderful being. "So… You need my help. Is it related to New Krypton?"

"Yes, exactly…" Kal-El says, focusing again on what brought him here. He reaches behind his back, then hands Hamilton a small plastic bag. As the Professor opens it and finds the dark crystal with the notes he wrote last night, Kal-El fills him in on what happened at the Vanderworth Estate and what his conclusions are about the fate of the landmass. "With all the parameters I had in hand, I tried to determine the approximate date for the explosion, but I didn't succeed. I need to know the mass of that… _thing_ to put that into the equation," he says, pacing the floor in front of the scientist's desk as the older man tries to decipher the Kryptonian scribbling, turning the little sheets of paper upside down as if they would make more sense.

"Hmm… You know you really should teach me that language of yours one day…" Hamilton says, smirking. When Kal-El glares at him sternly, he clears his voice and says, "Well… I knew that you would be interested in that landmass you threw into space… Wow, that was something to see by the way… Err… anyway, I put my assistant on it and he's been surveying it ever since you lifted it up there. Come with me, I want to show you something."

The scientist leaves his office, followed by Superman, and they head down a long corridor to a secured door. After having quickly presented his personal security card and entered a series of numbers on a keypad, Hamilton speaks loudly, "Hamilton, code 587692," The door slides opened and both men step inside the room. Kal-El looks around, memories of the few experiments he consented to undergo a few years earlier coming to his mind. A slight shiver crosses his body, but he shrugs off the thought quickly, concentrating on the current problem he's come to resolve.

Clarence Doherty, Hamilton's assistant, is busily retrieving and compiling endless amount of information from the various computers around the room. The man, with medium length brown hair, doesn't notice who is standing behind him until Kal-El, reading the screen above his shoulder, says in his usual deep warm voice, "Hmm… that looks interesting."

The assistant literally jumps from his chair, almost knocking a big file case off the desk. "Oh! My… Sup… Sup… Superman!" he finally manages to say, visibly impressed to be in front of the super powered hero.

Hamilton, amused by his assistant reaction, says, "Superman, this is Clarence Doherty, my assistant for three years now." Kal-El bows his head slightly, not ready yet to extend his trust to Hamilton's new assistant; recent events have quite encouraged him to be more cautious. Hamilton continues, "Clarence, please show us the latest information we got from the landmass."

Doherty, after a short moment of hesitation, sits back down in his chair and starts clicking on different files on the two screens in front of them, his hand shaking slightly. Kal-El's eye widen while he reads the series of numbers and technical information. "Can I?" he asks, motioning to take the assistant's place on the swivel chair.

"Of course!" Doherty says, still really intimidated by the tall being.

Kal-El sits down and quickly clicks his way through the huge amount of numbers, scrolling down them at a rapid pace, his eyes registering the information on both screens simultaneously at a non-human speed. After only a few seconds he has read all the contents of the files and frowns. "It's… still growing?"

"Yes! That's what I wanted to show you," Hamilton says. "The way you threw it into space, New Krypton settled into a Molniya orbit around Earth, which means that its orbit is highly elliptical. The problem is that as it's growing, its mass is continually increasing, causing the gravitational pull of the Earth to bring it closer in its perigee, the lowest point in its orbit. It also extends the farthest point in its orbit, the apogee, much farther from the Earth. We are afraid that as it continues to grow, it might eventually fall back down to Earth during its perigee because we have no way of knowing how much it's going to expand. But now, with what you just told me, we have an even more serious problem…" he concludes, but immediately notices the aghast expression on Superman's face.

Kal-El says, a tremor in his voice, "Do you… realize… that it's now half the size of… Kansas?! If this thing explodes in its perigee, not only it will cause hundreds of thousands of impacts on Earth, but the energy of the blast, even as high as it is now, will be equivalent to three or four hundred of your nuclear bombs… and… and I can do nothing about it…" His last words are just a whisper.

Hamilton puts his hand on the caped hero's shoulder. "Don't worry, son… I'm sure we'll find a way. First of all, we need to calculate exactly when the explosion is meant to happen and then we'll be able to determine the impact location window. With any luck it can happen at its apogee, which will be far enough away to spare us any damage." He gently pats Kal-El's back to emphasize his words.

"We… we need to warn the world about the possibility… I need to make a statement…" Kal-El says, still dazed by the discovery of this horrible threat. He feels responsible for all this. "I should have… I should have pushed it further… but I was… it hurt so much…" he mutters, his blank face frightening the assistant terribly.

Hamilton, touched by the helpless expression of the mighty hero, takes Superman by his shoulders and shakes him slightly but firmly. "Superman, _we_ won't say anything until we know the _when_ and the _where_! Understood? There's no need to worry people until we know how to handle this. And _you_ are _not_ responsible for New Krypton, Luthor is."

Kal-El frowns at that. "But… I can't keep this to myself… People deserve the truth…"

Laughing, Hamilton says, "My, my… you sound like a journalist now!" making the Kryptonian flinch slightly. "Ok, regarding what you told me about the Vanderworth crystal structure and your knowledge about corrupted crystals, the countdown to New Krypton will only start when the landmass has finished its expansion, right?"

"Yes, I'm pretty sure of that," Kal-El replies, having regained most of his composure. He must not give into fear. He must find a way... He will find a way.

"Good," the Professor says. "Then, we'll keep a close eye on it and when the growth finally stops, I'll call you. We're at least sure that we'll have a window of time as long as the one the mini crystal structure took to self destruct, as you said the ratio was exponential, which leaves us a few days to react," he adds, his own scientific curiosity surpassing his fear.

"That's theoretically right. In the meantime, I have to find a way to either stop that thing or push it further into space," Kal-El finally says, thinking, _without dying in the process_...

* * *

Perry gazes at the bullpen from his desk, comfortably seated in his big armchair, sipping his coffee. The staff is busy, its endless buzz like a song in the Chief's ears, and nothing escapes his eyes. It's his world, his home, and nothing but his own death would be able to make him leave this place.

He mentally checks on his people: Lois has left early to cover the police investigation at the Vanderworth Mansion. Judging by her stiff behavior this morning and the quick glances she made every two minutes toward Kent's empty desk, he could easily guess that something happened again between them. He'll have to keep a close eye on those two. "Lois, if you did something to Kent again…" he says aloud, but is interrupted by a tiny voice beside him.

"What did you say, Uncle Perry?" Jason says, seated on the sofa in a corner of his office, a school book in hand.

The editor in chief clears his voice. "Err… Nothing, kid, just… an old man's babbling." _Geez_… _I keep forgetting he's here_. _Damned you Richard for having left your son to me all day_, he thinks to himself. They _do_ need to find a real babysitter, despite Lois's issues with it; the newsroom is not a kindergarten.

"I know… Mommy says that you're becoming senile. She says that when people get old, they lose their head. I don't want you to lose your head, Uncle Perry; you have to attach it more strongly to your neck," the boy says genuinely, leaving his uncle stunned, wide eyed.

"Jason, that's not…" but he's cut off by a sudden commotion in the bullpen.

* * *

"I don't have to explain myself to you!!" Clark says sharply, so loud that it makes everybody look at him.

"Does the word _trust_ rings a bell to you?! Ok… let's try something easier for you, _smart ass_: honesty!!" Aileen yells back, trotting behind him to keep up with his pace, mentally counting her steps to avoid bumping in anything. When they met in the elevator, and he hardly spoke to her, clearly even more disturbed than this morning, she tried to talk to him, but he wouldn't let her in again. All her frustration and anger resurfaced in an instant, and she lost her temper.

Clark, furious, suddenly spins around, making her collide roughly against him and almost fall on her back. He's about to say something, oblivious of the staff members squinting at him, when Perry barks from his office, "Kent! Rogers!! In my office _now_!!"

As the two hurriedly make their way to his office, Perry flashes a deadly glare at the entire staff. Everyone bows their head, rushing back to their duties. He slams the door, satisfied by his effect, and returns to his desk. Glaring intently at the two reporters in front of him, he says sternly, "Where do you kids think you are? You…" He suddenly stops and turns to his right, "Err… Jason, son… can you go to Daddy's office a little while… I have…err… some business to tend to with Mister Kent and Miss Rogers here…"

Clark watches, wide eyed, as the little kid gets down from the sofa, grabs his backpack, and says, "Ok… Uncle Perry…" As he passes close to the tall reporter, Jason pats his hand theatrically in a sympathetic way, leaving him bewildered.

When he's gone, Clark wants to say something but Perry cuts him off right away, "Now… First of all, Aileen, are you ok? Richard told me what happened yesterday evening," he says gently, looking at the young lady.

"Yes… Thank you Mr White, I'm fine. Clark… took good care of me…" Lee says, bowing her head.

"Yes, Richard told me about your heroic act, Clark," Perry says, lifting an eyebrow.

"I…err… Well it was… Richard would have done the same…" Clark stammers, blushing hard.

"What the hell were you all doing on the river shore last night, anyway!?! Picnicking?!"

"Err..." Clark starts, but doesn't get far.

"Ok, now back to business! Kent, Rogers! If you're both having issues, deal with it, but _not_…_in_…_my_… _bullpen_! This place is not your bedroom!!" Perry starts to bark again, making the two jump at that, blushing furiously.

Clark stammers, "But… Chief…we're not…I mean… it's nothing like that, we're… just friends."

"Yeah… friends," Lee adds bitterly.

Perry narrows his eyes and glares at them, one after the other. "Fine. Case closed. Now, Kent, I want you to take Jason to Centennial Park. This kid needs some fresh air and sunlight."

Blood draining from his face, Clark stutters, "Wh… what?! But Chief… I'm not… Richard and… Lois… what are they…"

"Richard is out all day long on an important meeting and Lois will be out on investigation most of the day too. They thought it was a good idea to leave him to me, oblivious that I have a newspaper to run!!" Perry says rather annoyed.

"But, Chief… I'm not sure that Lois would be…" Clark says, sensing the panic getting the best of him.

"I don't care what Lois thinks. Besides, you'll get a glimpse of what it's like to have kids…" Perry looks sideways at Lee then winks at Clark, making him blush even more. "Enough! Get out of here!! Oh, Rogers, you go with them. You need some air, too," He finally says, starting to read some files on his desk casually, signifying that the discussion is closed.

It's Aileen's turn to open her mouth to argue, but a squeeze on her hand from Clark stops her.

* * *

The sun is shining brightly through the giant trees of Centennial Park. Jason trots along happily, eager to reach the lake where all the ducks and other birds are. Clark bought him a big bag of bread to give to them and promised that he would go with him on the swings.

Clark and Lee walk slowly a few steps behind, the red-haired woman holding the reporter's arm. They haven't exchanged a single word since they left the Daily Planet. She can feel his body tense as steel and hears his slightly anxious breath; something is very wrong with him. She can't see his glances toward the blue sky from time to time, peering at something only he can see right now with the help of his telescopic vision: New Krypton. The landmass, following its elliptical orbit around Earth is now in its lower altitude, just passing high above the United States. The last few days, his own personal problems have kept him from noticing all the fuss about New Krypton and the questions people have started to ask about its size. In fact, he kept himself methodically shut off from it, wanting to forget the whole thing. The memories were still so fresh... Another cowardly reaction. _What's wrong with me now?_ he silently thinks.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you in the elevator," Lee says suddenly, cutting him off from his thoughts momentarily.

He looks at her, his expression mixed with tenderness and regret. "I... I'm the one who should be sorry... Listen, Lee..." saying that, he leads her to a nearby bench. As they sit, he quickly glances at Jason, who is just a few meters away, trying a catlike approach to a bunch of ducks busy taking in the sun. Clark takes Lee's hand into his own gently, rubbing its back softly with his thumb, and sighs. She's so beautiful, her hair glowing under the sun, her green eyes so bright that he could lose himself in them with delight. He tries to swallow the knot in his throat and clears his voice, not noticing the two men who are discreetly spying on them, partially hidden behind some bushes.

"Oak 1 to Eagle... Oak 1 to Eagle. We have the Target in sight. The situation is clear," one of the two men says, putting his hand over his fake Ipod, the other pretending to exercise.

"Roger that, Oak 1. Stay alert and wait for the signal," the same man Luthor talked to yesterday, says, hidden in a van near the Park. He presses another button, "Eagle to Oak 2... Eagle to Oak 2. Initiate Operation 'Fire fly' now."

"Oak 2 to Eagle. Roger that. Initiating Operation 'Fire Fly,'" a voice on the speaker says.

Totally oblivious to what is about to happen, Clark gathers all his strength and finally says, "Lee... We can't keep this going... I mean... I'm not the one... for you..."

"Clark, if this has something to do with what I did last night when you held me, I..." she starts, slightly panicking, but he cuts her off immediately, not wanting her to be able to alter his decision with her rightful words, her soft, warm voice, not wanting to look into those wonderful eyes of hers.

"Lee... I'm not the right guy for you... You deserve someone who can take care of you completely... You're..." he tries to say, looking at his feet.

"Crap! Is it because I'm blind, do you see me as a burden on you?" _Oh, wonderful, Lee, you know perfectly well that Clark, among all men, is not that type of guy. _she curses herself. _He's afraid... he's just afraid..._

"No!! You know that I don't see you that way! I... " _Oh, crap... you know that this is the only right thing to do now... Pull yourself together already and end this thing! You've messed up enough people's lives; you can't go on like that. If you love her, just get out of her life right now before it's too late!!_ he thinks, while trying to find the right words.

"I love you," she whispers now, silent tears starting to trail down her cheeks, unable to say anything meaningful anymore, something to hold him back as she senses him slip away desperately.

"I... you don't know me, Lee... I'm not the man you think I am..." _Yeah, fantastic; tell that to an intelligent, empathic woman..._ his inner voice screams.

"Oh... Really..." she says, anger suddenly replacing the sadness. "Are you calling me an idiot!?!"

"No..."

"You know, Clark, I don't care what the other stupid, precious part of your life that you're trying so desperately to hide is, but I've seen right through your soul. That was enough for me to love you. You don't want to tell me!?! fine! But don't shut yourself the hell off from me, Clark Kent, or whoever you are!! You have to trust someone... or you'll end up dying alone!!"

He clenches his jaw at that and looks at her, his resolution stronger than ever. She deserves so much more than just a ghost, a painful memory. With what he may have to do in the next few days to save the planet one last time, he doesn't want to quit this world with the thought that she'll cry for him. It's better for her to hate him; it would be easier for her _after_...

"Aileen... I don't lov..." but his head snaps slightly to his left, his gaze becoming distant. _Cries... Sirens... a blast!!_ He gets up quickly, looking frantically at his surroundings to find a good spot to disappear. "Lee! Err... I have to go... now! Something urgent to do... I won't be long."

"But..." the young woman starts, stunned. "What about Jason? I can't look after him alone! I'm blind, remember!?"

"Jason!" Clark calls the boy, who comes immediately, aware of the worried tone of his tall friend. "Jason, please, I want you to go back to the Planet with Lee, ok? I have... something important to do," Clark says, kneeling quickly in front of him and looking at him straight in the eyes to emphasize his words.

"Uh-huh... Clark, I'll look after Miss Lee for you," the boy says in a really serious way.

"Good! I trust you on that, Munchkin! I won't be long," Clark says, messing up the little boy's hair with his strong hand. He glances at Lee who sits there, speechless, and runs away, soon disappearing behind the trees.

"Eagle to Oak 1, Eagle to Oak 1. _Go_!!!"


	16. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Flying as fast as he can among the buildings, Kal-El soon reaches the origin of the blast he heard a few moments ago: a chemical facility is on fire in the southeast industrial district of Metropolis. Flames and heavy smoke spread rapidly through the different sectors, threatening four giant containers, and people are trapped in different parts of the facility. Kal-el stops in mid air, scanning the area, thinking fast. He quickly dives into the heavy smoke and gets to the people as quickly as possible, flying them, two or three at a time, out of the fire. After only a few minutes, everyone is out of danger.

Now he has to take care of the fire itself. Luckily, this facility is situated along the ocean. After asking the firefighters to evacuate the entire site, he breaks through the ocean's surface in a blur, diving fast underwater. When he's deep enough, he accelerates, spiraling up at high speed. Soon the surface of the ocean rises, water forming a giant tornado, a blue and red blur swirling at sonic speed around it. The column of water grows bigger and bigger, ascending high into the sky. When Kal-El is satisfied with its size, he progressively shifts his loops in order to sustain the giant mass of water, bringing it slowly above the facility. As he stops his spinning suddenly, all the water falls down heavily, killing the flames instantly.

Relieved, he hovers above the factory a moment to check that everything is under control, and is about to return to his son and Lee when he suddenly hears another blast a few miles north from there. Without a second thought, he immediately flies in the direction of the new, dark gray smoke that rises from a tall building, using his telescopic vision to check on the casualties.

* * *

Lee takes Jason's hand and sighs. "Well, I guess we're on our own now, Jason. You just sit here with me, and I'll call someone at the Planet to come and get us. I think it's safer." _You won't get away with leaving us here like this_, _big guy_!!

"Uh-huh." Jason says, looking at the lake disappointedly. There wouldn't be any duck feeding or swings today...

As Lee grabs her cell phone, she suddenly feels a pressure on her back. Something cold and metallic… _A gun? _She stiffens and is about to scream but a hand on her mouth prevents her from going further.

"Easy Miss. You don't want the kid to get hurt, do you?" a rough voice whispers against her ear.

She nods slightly to show that she's willing to cooperate. _Jason… I have to protect the boy any way I can_! The thug behind her pulls his hand away slowly. "Good." Jason immediately presses himself against Lee's arm as soon as the second man releases his shoulder. The two thugs look around rapidly; no one is close enough to pay attention to them. "Where did the reporter go?" one of them asks Lee roughly.

"He went… to get us some hot chocolate. He'll be back soon…" she says defiantly. _How I wish it were true… Where did that dork fly away to, anyway? I swear I'm gonna kick that big ass of his when we get out of this!!_ "And he'll kick your butts!" she adds in a lame attempt to scare them, hugging Jason tightly.

"Haha!! That Kent guy? I don't think so…" one of them says, smirking. "He'll most likely piss in his pants and run away, like we've been told. Anyway, come on. They're waiting for us." He grabs her by the arm and forces her to stand up, Jason still clutching her waist desperately. "And try to act normally. We're a bunch of friends out taking in some fresh air, ok?" he says, pushing her roughly in front of him, still holding his gun hidden under his jacket and against her back.

"Jason, stay close to me, son. Everything is going to be ok. I'm sure that we'll be safe soon," she says, her arm on the child's shoulder.

"Uh-huh… I know…" he whispers back. Lee tilts her head in his direction, frowning, startled by his confident tone.

They slowly walk, heading back to a side entrance of the Park where a black van is waiting.

* * *

Effortlessly holding a block of concrete above his head, Superman helps five men to escape from the partially collapsed floor. "Take the stairs down. Hurry!" He's been fighting the fire for half an hour already. Hopefully this building was almost empty at this hour of the day, everybody having lunch outside. Only a few workers were trapped, and the five last of them just got out with his help.

_Something's wrong…_ he thinks while flying out of the building. Getting nervous, he starts to fly up as the people below cheer and wave at him. _Get back to the park… quickly… _his inner voice urges him. But he doesn't get far, as a new explosion erupts in the south-west area of the city. He freezes in mid-air, using his telescopic and x-ray vision, and his eyes widen: a subway tunnel just collapsed from the blast, trapping a train. A second train is going wild from the electric shock, speeding up dangerously. With no time for second thoughts about returning to the park, Superman dives into the closest subway station.

He follows the railway track, catching up to the back end of the train. He can hear the passengers' cries of fear, but blocks them out to concentrate. He can't simply pull the train to a stop, as the opposing forces would rip the train apart, and as the tunnel is barely larger than the size of the cars, Kal-El has to wait until the train passes by a station. He speeds up and in less than half a second, he's flying just in front of the train, facing it as it re-enters the dark tunnel. Looking back above his shoulder he sees the dead-end approaching fast. He puts both hands on the face of the machine and starts to push gradually to slow it down little by little, to prevent the passengers from being crushed by the inertia. When the speed is much lower, he lets his feet lower to the rail and pushes a little more firmly, slowing down his own speed, his fingers deforming the metal slightly under his grip. A shower of sparks comes from the friction of his boots on the rail, illuminating the tunnel. The train finally stops with a screeching sound. He quickly makes his way along the train and opens the sliding doors. "Is everyone all right?"

* * *

Lee wakes up slowly. _Where am I? _She is comfortably seated on what seems like a seat… a car seat? No… the sound, the vibration… they're in a plane! A jet it seems, even. Her mind is still fuzzy from the drug but she tries to focus her thoughts: the walk through Centennial Park with Clark and Jason… the argument… Clark leaving… Oh, God!! Jason… they were kidnapped!! They were brought to a van, then there was this characteristic smell of some kind of drug, then nothing… They must have been driven to a private jet. Where are they taking them? What do they want from her? Or is it Jason? _Most likely._ "Jason?!" she calls frantically, wandering her hands around her to register her surrounding.

"Don't worry, he's still asleep, just a seat behind you," the man from the park says, looking amused at her frantic, unfocused expression.

"Where… where are you taking us? Why are we here?" she asks, although she's pretty sure of the reason now: Jason is Lois Lane's son. Lois is quite famous and a few of her articles over the years have sent criminals to jail. Surely one of them wants his revenge or something like that.

"Don't overestimate yourself, lady… We only want the boy. You just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Not that I'm complaining…" he says, brushing the back of his hand against her cheek.

Disgusted, she backs away. "Then why am I here?" She flashes a deadly glare in his direction, trying to hide her fear as much as she can.

He sniggers and straightens up, going back to his own seat. "You might still be useful, in case the big blue guy is faster than we expect him to be."

She bites her lower lip to keep control of her fear, her hands clutching the sides of her seat. She's helpless and she hates that. They're somewhere high in the sky, and she doesn't even know how long they've been airborne since she was drugged. A few hours maybe? People must be searching for them by now. Superman must have been called and maybe he's heading to their rescue right now. He saved Jason and his mother once, and Lois knows him quite well; that's common knowledge at the Planet. She must have asked for his help. He must be coming… He has to come. _He'll come._ What if… he never comes? What if he's busy on the other side of the world right now? She sighs deeply. _He'll come._ He's the only one now who can help them here. _He'll come._

She tries to focus her hearing. Jason is indeed behind her; even with the roar of the Jet, she can still hear his steady breath. He's sleeping. She then focuses on the two men who are now speaking low to another, older man near the cckpit. His voice is deep and assured. He's surely in charge here.

"Did you get enough blood from the kid?"

"Yeah! I filled five vials. They're secured in the bag there. But why did the _boss_ ask us to take the kid's blood here? He'll have plenty of time to do that when he has him in his lab…"

"Just a precaution. If the blue and red bastard gets to us before we have a chance to land, we'll have to put Plan B into effect."

Lee's eyes widen.

* * *

The last block of concrete gives in easily under Kal-El's strong grip. He's now able to see the back end of the train caught beneath the collapsed tunnel. Luckily, a quick glance of x-ray vision showed him that the cars resisted the pressure of the rubble and are still protecting the passengers inside them. He digs his fingers into the metal of the back car and tears it opened. "Ladies and gentlemen, you're safe now. You can proceed to evacuate the train." He motions to the first people in front of him to come and pass through the hole he just made in the rear of the car. The firefighters and policemen soon join him and help people to get out of the tunnel and to the station, one by one, slowly. Some people are shocked and need to be carried out of the train. Superman patiently holds out his hand to each person getting down from the train, smiling gently and giving them a reassuring look each time, helping those who are too old or too in shock to jump from the modest height to the track. Some of them are crying, others have weary eyes, some hold his hand a little more than necessary, some brush his arms or his chest with one shy hand just to remind themselves that he's real.

As he moves to help an old lady down, she suddenly grabs his face with both hands and places a motherly kiss on his forehead. "Your mother must be so proud of you, my boy."

He blushes hard and blinks for a few seconds, then smiles at her tenderly while he eases her down to the track, letting her be taken care of by a rescuer. _She is_, he thinks.

When everyone is finally safe, he excuses himself to the rescue team and policemen and quickly rushes out of the station, flying up in the air as he reaches the stairs. The knot on his stomach won't leave him until he has checked on Lee and Jason. These explosions couldn't have happened one after another just by coincidence. He recalls the trick he fell for with Kitty Kowalski just three weeks ago, and it gives him chills all other his body. Someone wanted to keep him busy… but why?

He quickly flies up high enough above Metropolis and starts to concentrate his hearing and his telescopic vision, scanning the city, starting with Centennial Park. Lee and Jason are not there anymore; that's a good thing. He tunes into the Daily Planet building, methodically scanning the Plaza, the elevators, and the newsroom floor, blocking out little by little all the useless noises. The knot in his throat grows minute by minute as he's unable to spot them. Suddenly his attention is drawn to Perry's office. He narrows his eyes, concentrating on this part of the building, and soon the frantic voice of his boss comes clearly to him.

Perry is on the phone, his face white as a sheet as he tries to speak, but clearly the person on the phone won't let him get out full sentences. "I… No! Look Lois… Kent and Rogers are adults as far as I'm concerned, and… Wait a minute… This place isn't a kindergarten anyway and… That's enough Lane, hire a _real_ babysitter for Christ sake!! No, they didn't call… I doubt Kent has a phone anyway… you… No… Ok, ok!! I'll call Rogers and I'll ask them to get back here while you go check on those explosions in the south… Fine… Bring me back a good article for the evening edition, ok? Oh, and Lois… when you get back here we need to talk… Lois… _Lois_!! I'm _your_ boss, remember?" He hangs the phone up with a sigh.

His breathing now quite labored from anxiety, Kal-El clenches his jaw and desperately looks below, randomly scanning through the blocks of the city. _They must be here somewhere... They have to be..._ He nervously runs his right hand through his well combed hair, fighting a wave of panic when he focuses on Perry again. _He said he would call Lee..._

* * *

Bitting her nails savagely, Lee shifts in her seat. She can't just sit there doing nothing. _Oh, Come on, Lee... What exactly are you supposed to do anyway? _Besides, even if she wasn't blind, what could she do without endangering the kid? She wants to scream out of frustration and anger now. Suddenly, her cell phone starts to vibrate in her pocket, almost making her jump. She tries to grab it as discretely as possible, unable to see if the thugs can see her or not, as they've been quiet for the last few minutes. She quickly opens it, picking up the call, and hides it behind her back, praying for this to work. "Hey!! All right, I've had enough!! You've kidnapped Jason and me while Clark was away and thrown us into this jet. Where are you taking us anyway?! I want to know!!" she says loudly, startling the three men near the cckpit.

"Shut up, already!" one of the two men from the Park says, annoyed.

"No, I won't shut up, you bastard!! Wherever this plane is headed, I'm sure someone will come to our rescue!" she yells, hoping that whoever called her is still listening and will be smart enough to call the authorities. Maybe they'll track her cell phone call and they'll be able to spot her, although she doubts that it will be possible as the plane is in constant motion.

Now, really pissed by this sudden change of behavior from the red-haired woman, one of the thugs gets up from his seat and heads to hers, but stops as another man walks out from the cckpit. "Hey! Something's interfering with our communication system!"

The older man, with a scar on his face, understands immediately and stands up quickly, diving to Lee's seat, pushing the other thug aside roughly. He takes her by the arms and forces her to stand, throwing her down to the aisle.

"Miss Lee!!" Jason cries from his seat. He just woke up a few moments ago and he's now scared out of his mind. Superman didn't save them and now they are somewhere in a plane. _Mommy, I want Mommy._

As Lee tries to get up, the thug from the park catches her by the neck, strangling her just enough to make her choke, securing her in his grip strongly while the older man retrieves the cell phone and shuts it down quickly. "Idiots!! None of you thought to check on her before boarding the plane?!"

* * *

Perry, hearing the click of the end of the call, remains still a few moments, his jaw dropped. When Lee answered the call, he started to bark for her to get back to the Planet, but realized immediately that something was wrong. He heard and understood everything, from her trying to speak in a way that he would understand that she was in trouble, to her cries when she was caught doing so and even the scared voice of Jason, then her phone went dead. He lets himself fall heavily into his armchair before regaining his composure. Frantically, he picks the phone back up and dials 911.

Superman, who overheard the entire conversation, hovers there in shock, eyes widened. His worst fears... the ones he cares about... Jason... and now even Lee. Shaking himself mentally, he inhales slowly and flies up, cutting through the clouds, up above to settle once again into the stratosphere, where he can hear and filter the sounds of the world the most effectively. He stops and closes his eyes, concentrating.

* * *

The thug stammers the beginning of an apology but he's cut off right away.

"Enough!! Throw her out of the plane, now!!"

"No!!" Jason jumps up from his seat and pushes the man holding Aileen, making him tumble backward and lose his grip on her. She immediately crawls to the boy and hugs him tight, choking for air, but the older man won't let her get away. He grabs her by the hair and drags her along the aisle toward the door, her cries filling the plane while the thugs catch the little boy and tackle him to the floor.

"Secure the boy! Don't forget this little freak killed a man with a piano! He's just like his alien father!" the boss spits, disgusted. Still holding a whimpering Lee by the hair, he shoves his gun against her head, careful to direct the bullet so it won't leave her body and damage the plane, as they're still high in the sky. "Ok. Lady, you've gained your trip to heaven... You're already half way there..." As he presses on the trigger, Jason suddenly pulls away, with incredible force, from the two men who were practically seated on top of him, and launches himself against the man with the ugly scar on his face, pushing him with all his will, making him lose balance as he fires.

The bullet grazes the right side of Lee's head, making her cry out in pain, and follows its course through the cabin and to the cckpit, where it ends up the pilot's back, killing him instantly. The plane immediately starts to dive slowly.

"Plan B!! Plan B!! Evacuate the plane!!" the man says, hurrying to the rear of the plane to retrieve the chutes, and some bags. He's joined by the two others and they quickly open the door and dive out into the sky, leaving behind the unconscious, wounded woman and the little boy, who is clutching her tightly, paralyzed by fear, crying, "Daddy!! Daddy!!!"


	17. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

"Wake up, Lee… Please wake up !!" a weeping Jason cries, shaking the woman lying on the floor as papers and objects pass by them and disappear through the open door, sucked out in the sky.

"Hmff…What the…" she finally mumbles, coming back to her senses slowly. The stinging pain is the first thing to strike her, and she slowly brings her left hand up to the side of her head, immediately feeling the warm and sticky sensation of blood dripping from her open wound.

Before she can register where she is and what has happened, the young boy hugs her tightly, squeezing the air out of her. "Lee! I'm scared!! They're all gone! They jumped… they're all gone!!! I want Mommy!!!"

Trying desperately to breathe, she pats his back. "It's ok, Jason. Everything is going to be just fine… Please, honey… You're… a strong… boy…"

Jason understands immediately and lets her go just a little, still clutching her sweater as she hauls herself up, grabbing the closest seat for support. She breathes in deeply, trying to calm the throbbing pain in her head and her rising panic. The plane is tilting forward; she can sense it perfectly, and by the piercing whine of the engines getting higher by the minute, she knows that they've entered a dangerous falling trajectory. The pilot must have jumped with the others. _They must have been afraid of something_… _Jason_? _What the older man said_… _No_… _Superman_! He must be coming to their rescue… and the thugs must have realized it!! _Oh_,_ God_! _Please let him come before the plane hits the ground_…

_Try to gain some time_; _it's the only thing you can do_...she thinks as she carefully walks up the aisle, keeping Jason in tow, ignoring the opened door. It would be too dangerous to try and shut it on her own anyway. As she reaches the cckpit, she immediately smells the characteristic sent of blood. Wandering her hands ahead of her, she finds the pilot sprawling dead over the instrument panel.

"Jason, don't look," she says as she pulls the limp man with all her strength out of the seat. She lets him fall limply on the floor just behind the cckpit and says, sitting in his former place, "Honey… I want you to sit in the co-pilot seat, ok?"

"But…" the young boy says, still clinging to her, paralyzed. He looks confused at the man lying motionless on the floor behind them.

"You'll be my eyes, honey. Don't worry… It will be just fine," she says, trying to look calm and confident. _Well, Lee… nothing to worry about_._ You're just a blind woman trying to pilot a jet with a scared five year old kid and a helicopter license to help you! That's all you need_..."First of all, look out the window. What do you see?" she says, taking the yoke in her hands. _God, I wish this were a cyclic…_

Jason straightens up from the seat to be able to peer through the window. "I see clouds…"

"Are we high up in the sky? Your Daddy told me he takes you flying often in his plane. Are we as high up as when he takes you?" the red-haired woman says, fighting the pain and lightheaded dizziness that's beginning to overtake her.

"We're higher, I see the ground below but it's far… I see the ocean too…" Jason says, quite excited to see the sea of clouds passing below them, almost forgetting his fear.

_Good. We're not about to crash at least. _Lee pulls the yoke slightly in order to stabilize the pitch of the jet, trusting her senses. "Jason, did your Daddy teach you some of the instruments on a plane? Like an altimeter or the radio?"

"Uh-huh… But Daddy's plane isn't like this plane…" the boy says, looking all around him at the many buttons and indicators.

"Ok, don't be afraid. Some of what you see here is just the same as your Daddy's plane. Ok, why don't we play a little game? Do you know what the artificial horizon is?"

"Yes!! It's a circle with two halves which says if the plane is going up or down," Jason says excitedly.

"Right! Can you try to spot it here? It maybe be a little different…" she says, fighting the sudden coldness that seizes her body as the annoying slick blood soaks her collar. _Stay awake, Lee, or you're both doomed…_

"I see it! I see it!!" Jason bounces up and down in his seat, pointing at the little instrument, which is actually a little computer screen.

The woman sighs and says, "Ok… What do you see? Is the big line in the center just on the horizon?"

"Yes!"

"Ok." _At least I did something right. _"Now, the radio…" she says, exhausted. _I wish I could just find the autopilot trigger… _She wanders her right hand over the panel at her side and finds the headphones. Putting them on, she says, "Jason, you see the headphones, follow the cable. There should be a button or something and a little screen with numbers to change the frequency."

The boy looks at the panel and quickly finds what she's talking about, remembering all that Daddy taught him. This plane is not so different from Daddy's after all. "I found it!"

"I want you to turn the button until you see 1-2-1 point 5…" she starts.

"The Emergency Frequency!!" he proudly states, then tunes in the right frequency.

Amazed, Lee smiles through the haze of pain. "Right… the Emergency Frequency…" She switches on the mike and speaks, " Mayday, mayday, mayday… Can anyone hear me? This is an emergency. Do you copy?"

Almost instantly a voice on the headphone replies. "Gotham Air Traffic control Center here. We copy you. Identify yourself and define the nature of the emergency."

"All I can tell you is that we're in a small business jet… I'm alone with a five year old boy and the pilot is dead. I'm a… former helicopter pilot, but I'm blind, so… there's not much I can do…" Lee tries to say. She has more and more trouble keeping her voice steady and her thoughts coherent.

There's a slight silence, then the controller answers. "Ok, we have you on our radar. You're at level 320, heading north, and you are about 8 nautics from Gotham's airport. Do you have a way to keep the plane pitch stable?"

"Ye… Yes…" she mutters, cringing as the pain makes her nauseous.

"Fine. Hold on like that. We'll get you a clearance then we'll find a way to land you," the voice says.

_Yeah… Like they could land this plane from there… _is the last thought that passes through Lee's mind before she faints and slumps heavily over the yoke.

Jason screams out of fear when the plane dives again, and tries to pull on the yoke in front of him like his father taught him, but this time his strength seems to have left him and he has no clue how to trigger it again.

Suddenly, the resistance on the yoke becomes lighter in his tiny hands and the plane seems to regain its stable position all by itself. A few seconds later, a familiar and reassuring figure appears just behind them.

"Superman!" the boy screams, his eyes wide from fear and excitement.

Kal-El smiles at him tenderly and gently pulls the unconscious woman from the panel, securing her with one strong arm while he pulls a little on the yoke to raise the plane. After a quick glance of the main panel, he pushes a button, which triggers the autopilot. The jet immediately tilts forward and stabilizes itself. "Now… let's land this plane, ok?" he says gently, winking at his son, who nods frantically, all fear gone now. "Buckle your seatbelt."

The boy does as he's told, looking at Superman, who is gently securing Lee in her seat after having looked at her wound. Sighing, the hero straightens up as much as the height of the cckpit allows him to and dons the headphones. "Gotham control, this is LearJet 35A Whisky-Oscar-Whisky. Do you copy? Superman here."

"Oh…. Err… Gotham control here. Glad we have you there."

"The situation is under control. I need a clearance to land the jet," Kal-El says while scanning the sky around them to be sure no other plane is in range. He tries to avoid looking at Lee. _All this is my fault_._ She was hurt because of me_. "Ok, you have a clearance for the final approach on one-four-left," the controller says.

"Just keep all traffic above level 300. I'll do the rest," Superman replies in his warm confident tone.

"Roger that, Whisky-Oscar-Whisky. You have the clearance. I repeat… You have the clearance."

Nodding to Jason, Kal-El pulls off the headphones and checks his son's seatbelt, giving him a reassuring look. "Ok, Jason. I'm going to turn off the engines and go back in the aisle, ok? Don't be afraid if the plane goes down a little," he says, mussing his son's hair.

The boy looks at him and nods frantically. Kal-El turns off the autopilot button, then reaches for two switches and rapidly triggers them. Both engines immediately stop and the plane starts to slowly tilt forward in a eerie silence. Calmly, the hero pushes another button, lowering the landing gear, then makes his way to the aisle and positions himself at what must be the jet's center of gravity. Winking again at Jason, who looks back at him in a awe, he slowly raises his hands to the ceiling, then starts to float upwards until his back and shoulders are also supporting the structure. To Jason this seems an awkward position, but it reminds him of the picture he saw on front page of the Daily Planet, where Superman was holding the Planet's globe. Then the boy slowly realizes that Superman is actually holding the plane in the air from the inside, gradually slowing it down.

The hero triggers his x-ray vision and, spotting the airport, aims the plane in its direction.

Anxiously following the signal of the jet on their screens, the terminal controllers soon start to spot the small aircraft coming from north and heading toward the designated runway, but they are surprised when it doesn't descend slowly to land on it. Hovering instead above the taxiway, the plane gently lands vertically, like a helicopter, close to the rescue vehicles. The rescuers, alerted, immediately run to it.

As soon as they touch down, Jason unbuckles his seatbelt and runs to Superman, hugging his left leg tightly.

"It's over, son. You've been a brave boy. I'm so proud of you," Kal-El says, kneeling and hugging him back. Pulling Jason's tiny frame against his broad chest, he sighs deeply and closes his moist eyes. _If I had lost you, I…_

Straightening up, he heads back to the cckpit, the young boy still holding his cape. He quickly unfastens Lee's seatbelt, then carefully picks her up. When her head comes in contact with his warm shoulder, she groans slightly, slowly waking up.

"Hmm… Cl… Clark?" she whispers.

"Shhh… You're safe now ma'am," Kal-El says in his deepest voice. She's so small, so fragile in his arms.

"S - Superman? You _are_ Superman..." she says, suddenly trying to straighten in his grip, but he holds her tightly.

"Yes, Miss… You don't have to worry now. I'll take you to the hospital," he says gently, trying to calm her. He sighs when she leans back against him heavily, falling back into unconsciousness.

Turning around, he sees the rescuers coming into the cabin. "I'm taking this woman and this boy back to Metropolis. I'm afraid nothing can be done for this man here," he says, pointing out the dead pilot.

"Yes, sir. We'll take care of the rest. Thanks," one of the men says, looking around. "We'll need a statement…"

"Of course, I'll make mine to Metropolis authorities. They'll contact you," Superman finally says, already heading outside. Carefully wrapping Lee in a fold of his cape, he holds his hand out to Jason, kneeling. "Come on, Jason. We're going back to Metropolis where your Mommy and Daddy are waiting for you." The boy jumps immediately onto his lap and encircles his neck with his strong little arms. Kal-El notices that and frowns.

"Are we going to fly very fast?!" the boy asks excitedly.

Superman laughs, "Yes, very fast. That's why I want you to stay quiet under my cape, ok?"

The boy nods as the hero gently puts the other fold of his cape over him. After a final nod to the rescue team, he takes off and quickly disappears in a flash of red and blue.

* * *

Lois gets out of the car without even waiting for Richard and runs toward the Metropolis General Hospital main entrance. When a nurse called them at the office to tell them that Jason was there, they immediately drove to the hospital, frantic to find out what had happened. Locking the door, Richard follows his fiancée through the parking lot, happy to have been there to drive, as he's sure that Lois would have caused another accident on the way, judging by her swearing and insults at every other driver in sight during their awkward trip from the Daily Planet to the hospital. He has trouble keeping up with her pace as she storms in the direction of the reception area of the ER.

Spotting the nurse, Lois says frantically, "Hi! My son… Jason White was admitted here about half an hour ago…"

The nurse looks up at her and smiles broadly. "Oh, yes! The boy who Superman brought in!"

Not in the mood to talk about the superhero now, Lois snaps back, "Where is _my _son!?"

The smile of the nurse fades instantly and she points to a corridor on her right. "Follow the corridor, second door on your right," she says sternly just as Richard joins them.

* * *

As Superman enters the room, he smiles at the vision of his son, seated on the bed, his legs crossed, smiling at the nurse who is taking care of him. When she spots the hero, her face brightens.

"How is he?" Kal-El gently asks as he approaches the bed gracefully.

"Oh, he's fine, sir. Everything is perfect. He'll be able to go home when his parents get here. They shouldn't be long now," she says, smiling to the boy.

"Good," Superman just says, relieved that those bastards didn't harm his precious son. He'll have to take care of whoever was responsible for this. A part of him is also relieved that the hospital staff didn't find anything suspicious about Jason's metabolism but again Lois would never have brought him to see a doctor if he had any non human particularity. How Jason could have been conceived is such a mystery. _No... a miracle_, Kal-El thinks, gazing lovingly at the little boy in front of him.

As the nurse finally leaves them, he sits on one side of the bed. "Jason, can you tell me what happened?"

The boy sighs, then, looking back at Kal-El with his bright blue eyes, he tells the hero everything that happened from the moment he left them in the park until he found them on the plane: the forced walk in the park, the weird scent in the van and waking up on the plane, then the fight and how Lee tried to save them both. As the superhero listens carefully, his hands slowly ball unconsciously into fists as his jaw clenches. _Whoever did this to them will pay_...Lost in his thoughts, he doesn't even realize that Jason has stopped talking and is now scrutinizing him intently.

"Why do I have two daddies?" the boy suddenly asks.

Kal-El's head snaps up and he stares at his son, wide eyed. "Wh - What?"

The boy shrugs and says, "When you were in the hospital, Mommy told you that I was your son. I could hear her even though she was talking quietly."

Kal-El's jaw drops as he processes his son's words.

"The bad man with the ugly scar on his face in the plane said that I was the son of an alien because I threw the big piano at the bad man who was trying to hurt Mommy in the bald man's boat. Are you an alien? Will I be strong like you? Will I fly?" Jason now asks excitedly.

But Kal-El doesn't hear his last words, slowly raising from the bed and turning away, trying desperately to keep his calm, his heart beating so fast and strongly that it almost makes him dizzy. That's when he sees her, standing in the door frame with Richard just behind her, both frozen in shock.

* * *

As Superman storms out of the room and into the corridor, his long red cape flows gracefully behind his tall figure.

"Superman!!" Lois calls out, running and trying to catch up with him. "Kal-El…" she says softly when she's just behind him.

Trying to keep his anger at bay, he refuses to face her. Jason inherited his powers, and Lois never bothered to tell him... Why would she do that? She should have come to him with this, she should have told him everything. Sighing, he says in a really cold and low voice, "Why didn't you tell me… about his powers… about this. Why, Lois?"

She reaches for his right arm hesitantly, but he feels like steel under her fingers. Biting her nail, she tries to find the right words, the right answer. "I thought… it was just an accident…he didn't mean to kill that man…"

At these words, Kal-El feels nauseous, and he stares at Lois with wide eyes, his mouth agape. _What_? _Oh_, _God_... His son _killed_ someone... How could Lois have omitted the fact that their son _killed_ a man!?! Not that it was Jason's fault, he's only a five year old, after all, but... Kal-El realizes that it's all his own fault; he wasn't there… to help him… to guide him… to _raise_ him. _If only I'd been here_... _This wouldn't have happened_... _My son _killed_ a man… _I _killed that man._ He shuts his eyes at this thought, slightly faltering. "You should have told me…"

Without another word he walks away and disappears at the end of the corridor, leaving Lois there, speechless, devastated. She turns back and sees Richard standing there, expressionless, holding a confused Jason in his arms. _What have I done_?

* * *

Hearing a knock on the door, Lee turns her head in the direction of the noise and immediately regrets it as even this slight movement makes her head throb in pain. Clark, dressed once again in his civilian clothes, enters and shuts the door cautiously behind him. As he carefully walks to her bed, he notices her stern expression. "Lee? It's Clark… I heard what happened and…" he starts, but she cuts him off right away.

"How could you lie to me?" she says, her voice ice cold.

"Wh - what are you talking about?" he stammers in a futile attempt to save his cover, although he already knows it's too late.

"Oh… Come on… Cut the crap with me, all right? You're a liar! You lied to me all this time, you used me!! How could you do that!! You're supposed to be a model for us, a guide; that's what they say… The hell with you! You're just a liar and a coward!!" she yells as she begins to sob. She thought he was her friend, she even thought there could be more, a _lot_ more... But how could she consider him a friend, much less a lover, if he couldn't be honest with her? He kept himself shut off from her, from everyone he claimed as a friend, and now she completely understands why... He was too much of a coward to trust anyone. She laid herself bare for him, letting him into her life so completely, and he refused to share himself with her, shutting her out at every opportunity. What kind of man does that make him? Righteous anger fuels her tears until she chokes on her sobs. "I trusted you... to be honest with me... you bstard!!!"

"Lee… please… That's not…"

But she can't stand to be in his presence any longer. "Just get out!!" she screams. "Get the _fck_ out!!"

He steps back, the knot in his throat almost preventing him from saying these last words, "I'm sorry." He turns around and walks out of the room hurriedly.

When she's finally faced with the silence of her room again she cries openly, not caring that it only makes the pain worse.

* * *

Batman, perched on one of his favorite spots on top of the highest building in Gotham, gazes at the night sky and at the strange dark green object floating overhead, half illuminated by the sun, half blocking the light of the stars as it passes over them. New Krypton... How could the boy scout lift that thing? It was smaller then... but even then it was huge! And to know that it is loaded with kryptonite... _That blue and red dork is lucky to have survived it_! But now the thing is floating above the Earth and people are starting to worry... It's still growing, and eventually it could fall back to Earth as gravity pulls on its increased mass... _What are you going to do about it now, you Caped Nerd..._

But he's torn out of his thoughts violently when he finds himself suddenly thrown backward without warning and lands roughly on his back a few meters away.

"What the..." he tries to say, but a strong hand grabs him by the neck and hauls him up, then throws him against the nearby wall. The bricks shatter at the force of the impact and if it was not for his reinforced armor and mask, his head would be smashed right now. Through the haze, the Dark Knight sees red glowing eyes and finally registers who is still holding him against this wall by the neck. "Having had a bad day, buddy?"

Kal-El, not releasing his grip, says, his voice hissing with anger, "What did you have to do with the kidnapping of my son?!"

Bruce looks at the Kryptonian, wide eyed. "Whoa, whoa, whoa... Wait a minute! What are you talking about? Wait... your son?! Did I miss something?" His hands fumble at his belt, and he begins to open a compartment.

Superman looks at him intently for a moment, then blinks a few times, making the glowing red light fade in his eyes and releases his grip finally. He steps back, sighing. "I'm... sorry." Turning away, he takes a few steps to gaze out at the city.

Batman looks at the tall being, rubbing his sore neck with his right gloved hand while his other hand shuts the tiny compartment on his belt, where a faint green glow was emanating.

Stepping up beside him, he asks, "I didn't know that we were enemies now. I thought we were on the same side, remember? When you contacted me an hour ago, you talked about a jet from one of my companies. Care to explain?"

Kal-El looks at him, and Bruce is taken aback by the haunted look on his face. He looks so tired... so worn out. "Jason White, the son of Lois Lane, was kidnapped this afternoon, along with... one of my friends. They were taken aboard a private jet, which was supposed to land in Gotham. I did some quick research on the plane, and it appears to belong to AirPrivate Corp, which is held by Wayne Industries."

"So it really is possible... Kryptonians and Humans. Wow..." the Dark Knight says, looking up and down at Superman, his eyes resting a little too long on his midsection, making the Kryptonian blush. "And how do you..."

"Bruce!! Someone knows that Jason is my son and this person has some resources. He made sure I was occupied by organizing four explosions throughout Metropolis while Jason was taken," Kal-El says, pacing the rooftop nervously.

"You have a certain assumption about who it is, don't you?" Batman says, looking the other hero right in the eyes.

"Yes. _He_'s the only one who could have guessed that Jason is... my son. Jason did... things while he was captive on Luthor's boat with his mother," Kal-El says, looking away.

Knowing from experience that he will get nothing more from his alien friend, the Dark Knight finally says, "Fine. I'll do some research on the plane. And while I do that, why don't you pay a visit to your bed for a while. You look like hell. You do have a bed, right?"

"Yeah. I have a bed..." Kal-El replies, annoyed, then, as he gazes up at the landmass floating high above them in space, his expression changes, becoming unreadable. "Bruce... If something... Will you protect my son if I'm unable to do it... for any reason?"

Batman follows his gaze and simply replies, "I promise I will."

"Thanks," Superman says, smiling faintly. With that, his feet leave the ground and he quickly disappears into the night.

"Don't do anything stupid for once, you dork," Bruce says as he extends his own cape and dives down into his city.

* * *


	18. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

A shy knock on the door wakes Lee up from her drug induced slumber. She tilts her head slowly to her right, concentrating on the hesitant steps and the familiar sent of flowers. She cracks a faint smile when she recognizes the voice of Jimmy.

"Hey... I hope I didn't wake you up," he says, smiling back at her.

"No. I was already awake," she lies politely.

"How do you feel?" he asks, sitting on the side of the bed and putting the flowers in her hands. "Here. These are..."

"Roses and Asters," she cuts him off, smelling the delicate sent of the flowers. "Thank you Jimmy. How did you know they were my favorite?"

His smile turns into a lopsided grin. "You said that to Mandy one day and I happened to hear it. Anyway... the nurse said that you'll be released tomorrow. That's great!"

"Yeah... They said that I'll probably have some serious headaches for a few days but nothing more."

"Good. Oh... by the way, the Chief wants your article as soon as you feel well enough to write it up. He said that he'll put it on the front page when he gets it. I tried to tell him that you might not want to..." he says embarrassed.

"Don't worry; I'll do it." she says, amused, as she hands him back the flowers to put on the side table.

"By the way, have you seen Clark yet? Everybody's looking for him..." he starts, retrieving a vase on the side table and putting the flowers in it. He then goes to the bathroom to pour some water in it, continuing from there: "... especially since Jason said he left you both at the park just before you were kidnapped," he winces. "Lois... wants to speak to him..."

Lee's eye widen. _Lois. She has to tell her about the blood samples... _Just then the door opens again revealing a middle aged black man followed by a younger man with blond hair.

"Miss Rogers? I'm inspector Sanders and this is Inspector Doherty. Can we ask you a few questions?"

* * *

As he enters the room, Luthor is happy to see the effervescent atmosphere, the scientists already excitedly working on the blood samples that Hendricks brought two hours ago. Smiling, he makes a slow pass through the lab, stopping by a shelf where a few vials have been aligned. He takes one of them and, raising it at eye level, looks at it closely, rolling it between his fingers. On the label the inscription "J.W. 1/2 alien blood" stares back at him in bold lettering. As his eyes stare at the thick, dark red liquid, his expression slowly turns into a wicked smile. "Perfect. Just perfect."

A few moments later, after having given his last recommendations to the scientists, he leaves the lab and heads to another room in the underground maze. Entering it, he greets the slashed-faced man who's waiting there, seated among computers and monitors.

"Good job, Hendricks," Luthor says, seating himself in a comfortable armchair and looking at the different monitors showing remote views of the sector above them, surveying the docks.

Rubbing his scar absently, the tall man says, "The operation failed. We didn't retrieve the boy as ordered."

"But you got the blood. That's all that counts. In a way, it's better that we didn't have to lock the boy up in here. I don't want to risk putting our main operation in danger by having a half-breed freak among us, with his biological father flying around trying to save him," the bald man answers as a disgusted grimace distorts his face.

"If that was really all you wanted, we could have spared a man and some time," Hendricks argues roughly.

Luthor looks back at him, flashing an evil smile. "It wouldn't have been half as much fun... By the way... I didn't think it would be so easy to take blood from the little freak."

"Hmm... Bob didn't seem to have any problem. Why do you ask?"

"Because the boy has at least half of his father's DNA, idiot! If he throws a piano, he can either have other of the alien's abilities..." With that he gets up and leaves as the other man rolls his eyes.

* * *

Lois gazes out at the city through the passenger window of Richard's car. Since they left the hospital, they have barely said a word to each other, Jason having fallen asleep soon after they left the parking garage. After Superman left them in the hallway, she was shamed to endure the accusing look of her fiancé, and was relieved when the two inspectors came to ask Jason what had happened. Jason made his statement the best he could, impressing everyone with his calm composure. She couldn't help but caress his hair tenderly as he told how Lee did her best to fly the plane and about the game they had played to find the instruments. He found that game really funny and said to the officers that when he grew up, he would fly like _his Daddy_. While Richard spat in his coffee at that, Lois immediately said that Jason was talking about him, piloting a seaplane.

The police officers then took Lois and Richard aside separately to ask them more questions to help with the investigation. She talked about her assumptions that Luthor was still alive and most likely willing to avenge himself. After all, without her, Superman would be at the bottom of the ocean now and New Krypton would already be replacing a good part of the east coast. While they were questioning Richard, she agreed with Jason to go and see Lee, but the woman was still unconscious. Lois promised herself to come and see her later. She had taken care of her son despite her disability and she would never thank her enough for that.

The screeching sound of the brakes tears her out of her reverie. Startled, she looks around and sees their familiar entrance. They're home. Richard, still silent, gets out of the car and retrieves Jason, still sleeping, from the rear seat. It's just five thirty PM, but the autumn sun is already low in the sky and the air is cold. Wrapping herself in her long, warm coat, Lois follows her fiancée into the house and helps him carry the little boy to his bedroom. After having put him under the duvet, she kisses his forehead.

"A little nap will do him good. He has had a hard day," Richard says softly.

Lois nods and they leave the room, heading downstairs. She follows him silently to the living-room and watches him as he slumps down onto the couch heavily and brushes his hair back, sighing deeply.

"I've finally lost my son to _him_..." he starts as the knot in his throat grows gradually.

"Oh... Richard... no..." Lois says, crossing the living-room. Sitting beside him, she takes his hands and looks at him. Shaken, she sees tears wetting his cheeks silently as he stares at nothing. "Richard..."

"I... lost _my_ son... Lois..." he says between sobs, unable to control them anymore.

Feeling her own tears hot on her skin, she cups his face in her hands and forces him to look right into her eyes. "You haven't lost Jason. That will never happen... you understand? I'll never let that happen..."

"But... he... he has powers... He... he killed a man, Lois! He killed someone with his powers... why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you trust me if you really see me as his father?" His expression is frantic now.

"Jason saved my life, Richard!! For god sake, he saved me! That man was going to kill me!! Jason will never do that again!! I... I didn't want you to see him as... as some kind of monster!!" Lois says, anger starting to flood her mind.

"A... a monster?! How could you think that?! I'd die for him, Lois! You know I mean it! I'd die for him just like I'd die for you!!" he says, getting up and wiping his tears with the back of his sleeve nervously.

"Richard... I'm sorry... I..." she pleads as she stands up and encircles his waist from behind.

"And what am I supposed to do now? He's _his_ son! I can't compete with that. What do you want me to do when Jason starts to fly? Take him up to fly beside my seaplane like that guy with his geese?!" he snaps, pulling roughly out of her hug.

"He loves you, Richard. Never forget that. And I love you too," she says softly.

In his room upstairs, Jason lays huddled up under his blanket, his hands over his ears, crying silently.

* * *

It's now late at S.T.A.R. Labs and the night has fallen over New Troy. Dr. Hamilton is writing at his desk when his intercom beeps. He pushes the button, "Yes? Oh really? All right, I'm on my way."

A few moments later he's in the room assigned to New Krypton studies with his assistant, checking the different computer screens. Nodding, he leaves and goes to his office. He opens a drawer and retrieves a little piece of paper with an email address on it. Powering up his laptop, he launches his internet browser, types the password to get out of the secure network and clicks on a bookmark labelled "The Planet Forum". Invited to login, he types "StarWatcher" then his hidden password and clicks on the Private Messages section of the site to start composing his message:

to: PeterPan  
title: The yo-yo  
message: The countdown has begun. Call me.

He takes a deep breath and clicks the 'send private message' icon. "Alea iacta Est..."

* * *

Clark looks at his watch as he passes through the revolving doors; seven twenty AM. For once he's early. In fact he didn't sleep at all last night again as duty called just after he left Batman in Gotham. He spent all night around the world, happy to keep his mind busy and enjoying the feeling of being useful. He just flew to his apartment a few minutes ago to take a shower and a get a cup of coffee.

Yawning and scratching his scar absently through his coat, he drags himself along, heading slowly to the elevators. After what happened yesterday, he's not really eager to face the staff of the newsroom today, but he has a job to do; he's still a reporter after all. He'll have to find a good excuse to tell to Perry about why he disappeared suddenly in the park and left Lee and Jason there...

_Lee..._

Her harsh words still ring in his ears. She had every right to be pssed at him... _No she didn't_! He tried to tell her... he tried to push her away before something bad happened... but she was too stubborn to let it go... to let _him_ go. Now that she hates him, he has what he wanted... and he feels miserable. _Oh_, _get a grip_, _will you_? _You have more important things to deal with_, _you idiot_!

The doors of one of the elevators open and he's happy to see it empty. _That's the good part of coming into work early_, he thinks as he slips into the car. But just as the doors close on him, a hand insinuates itself between them, forcing them opened. Clark immediately pushes the 'doors open' button gentlemanly, but the blood drains quickly from his face as he sees Lois rushing in. When she sees him, her own face becomes white, then gradually turns to red as anger replaces her surprise. The doors shut and the elevator starts to ascend as they both stare at each other, motionless.

Suddenly, between floors fourteen and fifteen, Lois spins around and punches the stop button, making the car come to a halt. Before Clark has time to react, caught in his dazed state, she throws herself at him and slaps him across the face with all her might. He reacts soon enough, though, to let his body absorb the shock. His head jerks to the left as he lets himself fall backward against the wall, making the car jolt slightly. His glasses, thrown away by the impact, slam against the nearby wall, one of the lenses cracking in the process.

"You, bstard!! How could you leave them alone like that?! How could you leave a five year old little boy and a blind woman in that park all alone?! My son!!" she yells at him, nursing her throbbing right hand. "You..." But she doesn't finish, seeing that he's unmoving, not looking at her. Following his gaze, she notices the shattered glasses on the floor.

His glasses... he should pick them up and put them on right away... but he just stares at them, dazed, the only testimony of Lois's swipe across his face being the faint scent of her perfume. He wishes he could have felt the sting of pain on his cheek, but he can't. His glasses are now on the floor and he just looks at them; he's not afraid... _he doesn't care_. Slowly he turns his head to face Lois and looks at her finally, straightening up a little, sighing, like he almost did a few weeks ago that faithful evening in the newsroom when he was helping her to gather her things from her purse. It doesn't really matter now..._ it doesn't matter anymore_.

Looking back at him with a weird sensation, she meets his eyes. Big blue eyes behind the thick hair falling heavily over his brows. Intent blue eyes... Holding her breath, she steps forward and raises her hand up slowly to his face. He doesn't move when she brushes his hair away, his gaze still locked on her, his expression elusive. The spit curl, now free from the thick mass of hair held in place by her trembling hand, falls proudly over his forehead. She opens her mouth but is unable to utter a word, her heart pounding painfully within her chest.

Suddenly, as they both seem frozen, a voice comes from the emergency speaker, "Hello? Is there a problem in here?"

Blinking, she jolts back and turns to the console, pushing the speaker button. "Hmm... No... Err... Everything's ok. We... I just hit the stop button without realizing it... Sorry." She frantically pushes the thirty-three button, making the elevator ascend again.

"All right. Have a good day, ma'am," the voice says.

After having breathed in slowly, she turns back to Clark again. He's just picked up his glasses and is about to put them back on. She wants to say something but her mind is numb and she just stares at him while he silently smooths his hair back in place, hiding the glorious curl. When the doors open, her feet drag her automatically away from the elevator toward the bullpen, when she suddenly bumps into someone.

"Sorry..." she says absently, but steps back when she sees who she just bumped into. "Inspector Sanders?"

The man nods to her but quickly looks above her shoulder at Clark coming out of the shaft, a lopsided smile on his face, the cracked lens of his glasses making him look odd. "Clark Kent?"

Clark looks at him with a friendly expression, "Yes, sir, that's me."

The officer, not returning his smile, nods to his partner, who immediately pulls a pair of handcuffs from his pocket and walks to Clark. "Mr. Kent, we have some questions to ask you about your whereabouts yesterday afternoon, and also during the last five years. You're under arrest for involvement in the kidnapping of Jason White and Aileen Rogers. You have the right to remain silent. If you choose to give up that right, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to speak to an attorney, and to have an attorney present during any questioning. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you at government expense."

Lois, wide eyed, steps forward, "What?! Inspector, I..." but Clark cuts her off right away.

"Lois..." he says, looking at her right in the eyes. He slowly shakes his head, motioning her to stay silent, as he lets the second officer restrain his hands behind his back.

A few early morning staffers are now gathering around the elevators, alerted by the Miranda reading. They all look on, stunned, as Clark Kent, their bumbling co-worker, is lead into the elevator by the two policemen, his hands cuffed behind him.

"Kent? A criminal? No way!!" says Mandy from the fashion department. "This guy is a boy scout! He would never do anything like this!"

"Who knows... Hasn't he been off the radar for the last two years?" Bret, from the sports section, adds.

"No... he was gone for four years..." someone says behind them. "But, still... I always thought he looked weird. Too kind to be honest if you ask me. I was sure the guy was hiding something."

"I'm not paying you people to babble in the hallway!!!" Perry's voice suddenly roars from behind, making everyone jump. They all get back to their duties like ants as the editor in chief, followed by Richard, walks to where Lois is still standing, shocked.

She finally turns to them and says in a trembling voice, "What... Why did they arrest him? Who told them about the last five years...?"

"I did," Richard says, smiling regretfully. Perry and Lois both stare at him, mouth agape. "I think that your conclusions about him two days ago at the Vanderworth Mansion were right after all. We don't know what he did during those five years and we just can't rely on his word about that. He really could have been brainwashed by Luthor; your theory wasn't that stupid, Lois. Maybe even what he told us was honest; he only recalled being in a coma when all this time he could have been in Luthor's hands. Who knows?"

"Great Caesar's Ghost! What are you talking about Richard?!" Perry says, looking at his nephew blankly.

"Kent lied to us in the first place about his trip around the world, and when Lois found out about it, he gave us a lame explanation about how he left to find his real parents but found them dead somewhere in someplace exposed to radiation... a graveyard. When you think of it, it's a darn phony explanation! Yesterday _my_ son was kidnapped just after he was with him. I... I want to trust him, Perry but... I don't want to take that chance with _my_ son. I'm sorry. If he's clean, they'll release him," Richard finally says, clearly sorry for the reporter.

Lois stands there, jaw drooped, looking back and forth between Perry and Richard. She was the one to accuse Clark in the first place; she brought attention to him when... _Oh, my... Kal-El is... Clark. The father of my son, the all-mighty hero... this great figure is... Clark. This godlike being is... just Clark. Clark..._ this name echoes in her head and suddenly everything becomes black around her as she slumps heavily to the floor, Richard having just enough time to catch her before her head can hit the granite floor.


	19. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

Clark stares at his cuffed hands resting on the table. Upon arriving at the Police Station, he was asked his name, date of birth, height, all those sorts of things, then an officer took his fingerprints and a few mugshots, and asked him to leave his personal effects in an envelope. Reluctantly, he gave up his necklace along with his wallet, necktie, watch and a few other things that lied around in his pockets. He noticed the odd look the officer gave him when he put the little crystal in the envelope, laughing internally at what the man's expression would be if he were to trigger it and transform himself into Superman just before his eyes. Surely that would have made quite an effect.

But he was taken out of his reverie when he was cuffed again, this time his hands secured together in front of him, and was led into a room without any windows, a small time-worn table and two chairs as the only furniture. Looking up from the table, Clark easily sees through the large one-way mirror that fills half of the opposite wall, focusing his vision on the inquisitive faces of the few people staring at him, thinking they're hidden behind the special glass.

_If only they knew_, he muses as he tries his best to fight down the odd sensation of claustrophobia that immediately caught him when he was brought into the room. It's not that easy, though, due to the lead in the paint on the old blue walls preventing him from seeing through them and peering out at the welcoming sky. _What am I doing here anyway? _he thinks, adjusting his shattered glasses. What an odd twist of fate. He, who has spent his entire life fighting for justice, is now being kept in custody because he didn't want to blow his cover. But he can't lie to them; he can't go against the law. _Besides... does it even matter anymore?_

The inspector seated across from him at the opposite side of the small table stares at him, his expression stern and cold. "Ok, Kent. Let's start this all over again. Where did you go yesterday at one pm when you left Miss Rogers and the young Jason White so abruptly?"

Clark looks up at the African American man, slightly startled by the sudden sound of his deep voice echoing in the silent room. He has been asked this question exactly eight times since he was brought here about two hours ago. When he was asked at first if he wanted to call his attorney, he honestly didn't know what to answer as he never had to ask for one before. He's innocent anyway. Calling an attorney would just complicate things more than they already are. There has to be a simple way to arrange this mess. "I... I told you..." he starts, his voice calm and gentle.

"I know what you said, fcking bastard!!!" the inspector suddenly shouts, hitting the table with his palm, making Clark jump slightly. "What I want you to tell me now is the fcking truth, because you're not getting out of here until you tell it!"

"I... That's the truth. I heard the explosions in the south end of the city and I immediately went there..." the reporter says patiently, looking back down at his hands shyly.

"Oh, yeah... you heard the explosions that far away..."

"I have... pretty good hearing..."

"Are you kidding me? You're not Superman, kiddo, are you?!!"

At that, Clark looks up at the inspector, horrified.

* * *

_Lois?... Lois? Can you hear me? _A voice from afar... Richard's voice echoes in her head. "Honey? Geez, Perry, maybe we should call an ambulance." The darkness slowly fades away as the worried face of her fiancé materializes before her eyes. She moans slightly, trying to focus her dazed mind. Richard is immediately at her side, "Lois! Thank God. You're finally awake."

Blinking a few times, Lois straightens up from where she was laying and looks around. She finds herself on Richard's sofa; they're in his office. Perry and his nephew look at her, obviously both concerned. Not feeling really comfortable being stared at like that, she straightens up a little more and takes a deep breath. "I'm fine... Really. How long was I out?" she says, rubbing her temples to chase away the remaining headache.

"Enough for us to start to worry," Perry says with a fake annoyed tone in his voice, but Lois knows better. _He does care._

Sighing deeply, she lets the memories flow back to her. _Clark was taken... He was arrested. Oh, God... they put Superman under arrest!! Superman... the embodiment of justice itself! The world has gone crazy... No! Of course... they don't know who he is... how could they know? Why didn't he do something? Why does he want to protect his identity so badly? All those years... all this time spent together and never have I had a clue... How could I have even suspected him to be... living like a human? I never have had a second thought about it, mesmerized by his greatness, his powers... what an idiot I've been. Why didn't he tell me? Why? And of all the men he could have been it had to be... Clark!! No wonder that I couldn't recognize him... Oh, God! I made love with Clark! I have had a child with Clark!! _She shuts her eyes tightly then opens them suddenly. "Where's Jason?!"

Richard, feeling the blood draining from his face, realizes that since Clark was arrested and Lois fainted, he totally forgot about his son, who he had told to stay in his office. After what had happened the previous day they had decided to keep him away from school for a few days. Glancing around, he realizes that the little boy is clearly not here anymore.

Immediately noticing his worried expression, Lois stands up and jumps to the door, opening it frantically. She calls out, "Jason?" and starts to look around, rapidly followed by Richard.

As they cross the bullpen, asking their co-workers if the boy has been seen, Perry, having an idea, opens the door of his own office and peers into it. Frowning, he walks in and bends slightly to look underneath his desk. He smirks when he sees the shadow of a pair of tiny legs beneath the wooden panel. Looking back at Lois and Richard, who are now searching frantically under the different desks, joined by a few of the staff members, he smiles and shuts the door behind him then walks to the other side of his desk, pushing his big armchair aside. Leaning forward, he sees the little boy huddled up on the carpet, his knees against his chest, looking back at him like a frightened animal. Perry sighs, then, with a last look at the bullpen, he kneels and crawls under his desk. Sitting at the opposite side of the narrow space, he finds himself hunched uncomfortably, facing Jason. Quiet, he looks at the kid with a gentle expression, waiting for him to feel confident enough to speak.

Pushing a lock of hair away from his face, Jason talks finally with a voice barely more audible than a whisper, "Will I be taken to jail like Clark, Uncle Perry?"

Perry, stunned, stares at him a moment, then says, "Of course not, Kiddo! What makes you think that?"

"Because I have secrets like Clark. Clark is going to jail because he has secrets, too, and the policemen don't like that. If they know my secret, they'll take me to jail and I'll never see Mommy again," the little boy says, his chin quivering from the threatening sobs.

Perry is speechless for a moment, trying to find the best thing to say. Sighing, he flashes the kid his best smile then answers finally, "Listen, Son... Clark hasn't been taken to jail but to the Police Station. They... want to ask him some questions about what happened yesterday, that's all. He'll be free to go after that."

"But, if he doesn't tell them his secret, they'll be angry at him and they'll take an _ugly_ photo of him, they'll force him to take his own clothes off and make him wear that _ugly_ orange suit and chains on his feet and hands and they'll put him in a dark room and some bad men will yell at him and..." Jason says breathlessly.

"Whoa, whoa... Jason! It's not like what you see on TV shows! They won't do that to Clark... They'll just ask him questions and they'll let him go. You'll be able to see him after that," the old man says gently.

But Jason lowers his head, a sad expression on his face. "No, Clark doesn't want to see me anymore. He's angry at me. He _hates_ me."

"Why?"

"I can't tell you that, Uncle Perry... It's a secret."

Just at that moment, Lois enters Perry's office and freezes when she hears that.

* * *

Clark stares in disbelief at the paper Sanders just threw on the table before him. He blinks a few times. _It can't be_. Thoughts racing through his mind, he barely hears the inspector, who says, "You recognize this? This is a reservation for hiring a private jet from Air Private Corp., and the pilot scheduled yesterday from ten am to ten pm. There's your name on it and your signature. What do you have to say about that?"

"This... I never signed that," the reporter says honestly. _It was a well prepared operation; I underestimated them_, he thinks, frowning, looking at the paper intently in hope to find a clue. _Why didn't I realize that we were being spied on in the park? I should have sensed something; I should have heard them or seen them. Am I loosing it so badly? And above all, why did they make Clark Kent their scapegoat? Could it be possible that they know...?_

The roaring voice of Sanders tears him out of his thoughts again. "We compared this signature with some samples of your writing on your desk at the Daily Planet this morning and it fits."

"That's ridiculous. I never could afford this type of service. I... I'm just a reporter..." Clark starts, thinking he may finally have some rational way to clear this up. Indeed, how could a simple reporter, even a senior one like him, have enough money to hire a private jet and its pilot for a complete day? That's nonsense.

Suddenly, an officer enters the room and gives a few papers to the inspector, who reads them rapidly. "A reporter with a surprisingly healthy bank account it seems," he says, looking back at Clark, who shifts on his chair nervously. "From what I see, you never appeared to use it much and even less during the last five years, except the monthly transfers to a bank account in Smallville, Kansas. Care to explain?"

Clark swallows hard. How is he going to get out of this without lying? "I... That's my mother's account..." but he's cut off right away.

"I know that it's your mother's account!! What I want to know is how a man who was traveling the world for five long years could get by without ever using his money," Sanders shouts, leaning forward menacingly.

Clark instinctively leans back on the slightly too small chair. "I..." He lowers his eyes and sighs. It would be so simple just to say that he left all his money to his mother and found random little jobs to live wherever he was. _No, I definitely can't lie._ "I'm sorry..."

Sanders lifts an eyebrow and rummages through the file in front of him, retrieving a printed paper.

"Here's the statement of a witness who heard you say that you were gone to search for your biological parents and that you ended up in coma..."

Clark's eyes widen at that. "Who..." but he's interrupted again harshly.

"I'm the one asking the questions here!! So shut up until I tell you to talk, ok?!" he barks, then returns to his reading, peering at his prey from time to time. "It's stated here that you went as far as making your mother send fake postcards to make people think you were just hitting the road." He pauses again, looking intently at Clark to see his reaction, but the reporter doesn't move, his head bowed. "We tried to confirm this statement with some facts, but we only found the traces of your adoption thirty four years ago and nothing out of the ordinary until the last five years. You seem to have just disappeared from the surface of Earth during that time! Weird isn't it?" Still no reaction. "And now you resurface out of nowhere and the minute the boy is alone with you, he's kidnapped. With this paper and your name on it and the statement here, we have enough to put you behind bars right away so I advise you to speak now and give me the names of all the people involved in this operation. Who told you to organize the kidnapping? Who hired you? Is it Luthor? Where is he? What did he promise you? Speak!"

* * *

Lee is already packing the few things that Jimmy brought to her yesterday in a tote bag when her young colleague enters her hospital room. "Hey!" he says, smiling. "It's barely nine am. You're already ready to leave?"

"Yes, I'm cleared to go. Thank you so much for taking a few hours off to drive me, but I could have taken a cab," she answers, wandering her hand over the bed to retrieve her coat. Despite the intense headache, she's happy to leave this place, as hospitals have not been her favorite places since her accident. When she woke up during the night, a weird feeling of claustrophobia caught her and soon mixed itself with despair and sorrow as she recalled the events of the last day. Feeling cold and lonely, she cried endless tears until she fell into restless sleep again, the mental image of _him_ she had managed to build, dancing into her mind.

Jimmy, grabbing her bag, lets her take his arm. "A cab? No way! Hey! That's friends are for, aren't they? Besides, it gave me a good reason to avoid going to work this morning. Ok, Miss, let's go to your apartment; you'll be much better there," he says with a cheerful voice. Despite their casual discussion, he can sense that something is wrong with his red-haired friend, and it has nothing to do with her kidnapping or her wound. It's all about Clark; he's pretty sure of that. He hasn't seen him since yesterday afternoon and clearly the reporter didn't show up here either to comfort Lee. _What the hell is it with him?_ Jimmy witnessed their glorious argument in the middle of the bullpen yesterday and he would have kicked his tall friend's silly butt himself if Mr. White hadn't had sent them with Jason to Centennial Park to clear up their issues. The young photographer doesn't understand why Clark, who clearly happened to enjoy Lee's company a lot, suddenly turned her down without notice. He'll have to talk some sense into his friend… whenever he shows up again.

"Actually… can you take me to the airport?" Lee suddenly says as they reach the elevator.

"The airport?! Why?"

"I have a flight in about forty minutes," she answers casually.

"A… a flight?" Jimmy stares at her in disbelief. "Wait a minute! Aren't you supposed to rest?! Besides, it won't be good for your wound."

The young woman, still holding his arm, says, "I have… some business to take care of first… something important…"

"But… where are you going? What's so important?"

"Please Jimmy, it's… personal," she says, her expression elusive, then adds with an edgy hint in the tone of her voice, "Can you just drop me at the airport or do I need to take a cab?"

Entering the elevator, Jimmy sighs, "Oh… sorry… Ok. Let's go."

She nods, then hands him an envelop she just retrieved from one of her pockets. "Can you give this to Lois when you see her? It's important."

More and more worried by her mysterious behavior, Jimmy wants to say something, but her serious expression stops him. He just takes the envelope. "Ok. I'll give it to her as soon as I drop you off at the airport."

"Thanks Jimmy. You're a real friend." She pats his arm and smiles slightly.

* * *

Unfastening the second button of his collar, Clark takes a deep breath, fighting the slight, yet very unpleasant feeling of suffocation and an urgent desire to fly. Sanders left the room a few moments ago to join the other policemen on the other side of the one-way mirror. Focusing his hearing on them, Clark sighed as he heard them exchange their conclusions. They're clearly all convinced that he's guilty, and sadly, he understands them; he's done nothing so far to make them think otherwise.

His back is slightly sore from the lack of exercise and his scar starts to tickle again, but he can't reach it with his tied hands. Shifting in his chair, he dares not stand up to take a few steps to bring the circulation back to his legs, but tries to focus his hearing on the outside instead. _What if something happens somewhere? What if Superman is needed right now? __What am I going to do?_


	20. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

Jason looks at his Daddy, then at his Mom. When they said they were taking him to a vegetarian restaurant just a block away from the Daily Planet for lunch, he was quite excited, but now he is not so happy anymore, for his parents haven't said a single word since they got here. Looking at his plate, he sighs. He wants all this to stop; he wants his life from before. Things were much more fun then, when… when he was bored in Daddy's office and was sneaking out to play with whatever was falling into his hands, when Mommy came home late from work and they had to eat Chinese take-out, when Peter played cops and robbers with him at school and he wasn't afraid to push him too hard, hurting him, when he loved playing the piano, when the bald man wasn't there, _when Clark wasn't there… _

Richard looks sideways at Lois while she plays with her food. "Lois…" he starts hesitantly, wanting to break the heavy silence between them.

Not looking at him, she sighs, putting her fork down on the plate. She's not at all hungry anyway.

"Lois… I'm sorry… I had to tell them…" he says, trying his best to keep his words elusive enough to prevent his son from understanding their meaning.

She glares at him. "He had nothing to do with it, Richard. How could you think of him…?" She stops before saying "as a criminal," eying her son, who sits there, his meal still untouched. "Honey… aren't you hungry?"

The boy shakes his head slowly, lowering his eyes. Lois sighs and smiles faintly at him. She knows that there's too much happening for her son. He's so young, so fragile. He doesn't deserve any of this. _Cl… Kal-el… Why did you have to leave us like that? You fcking bastard!_ She thinks, her expression becoming stern. She's about to say something more when she spots Jimmy at the other end of the restaurant, looking around. She waves at him when he looks in their direction, and he quickly crosses the restaurant, smiling when he reaches them.

"Hi, Mr. White, Miss Lane. I was told you were here," he says cheerfully.

Richard smiles back slightly and nods while Lois replies, "Hi, Jimmy. We didn't see you in the office this morning."

"Yeah. I took the morning off to get Miss Rogers out of the hospital."

"Really? She's already out? I wanted to visit her to thank her for everything she did for Jason," Lois replies, obviously disappointed.

"Well… She asked me to give you this; she said it's important," Jimmy adds, holding out the envelope to her. "By the way, have you seen Clark? He didn't come to visit Lee, so I was wondering…"

"Oh, nobody told you? Clark was arrested this morning. He's suspected to have taken part to the kidnapping," Richard says quite bitterly while Lois opens the envelope, glaring at him sideways.

"What!?!" Jimmy, shocked, lets himself slump down on a nearby chair. "No… I mean… Mister Clark can't… He's not that kind of… I mean…Oh, Geez…"

While Richard takes an empty glass and pours some wine in it to give to Jimmy, Lois starts to read the little piece of paper with awkward hand-writing on it.

_LOIS – THEY TOOK JASON'S BLOOD ON THE PLANE. I DIDN'T TELL THE POLICE – CALL ME 555-0185. AILEEN._

Lois's eyes widen. She looks at her son, who is staring back at her, surprised. _They took Jason's blood… She knows about Jason…No, why would she? Oh, _God... Lois's face becomes white as a sheet.

Richard notices that. "Lois? Is everything alright?"

* * *

As Inspector Sanders reads the different papers in front of him while sipping his coffee, he ignores Clark, who seems to have slowly fallen into some sort of groggy state. A few moments ago the reporter stopped answering Sanders's questions, his expression empty, like his mind was focused elsewhere… far away.

Sighing, the inspector puts his cup down on the table. "You do know that this little game will get you nowhere, don't you? We have this reservation, we have a testimony, and above all we have you disappearing yesterday at a crucial moment, your only answer to that being as lame as you wanted to investigate an event a few miles away. Adding to that we have five missing years of your life and a motive to harm Lois Lane. This is how I see things: you were reported to have a crush on Miss Lane before your disappearance, and when she turned you down, you couldn't bear it, so you ran off. When Luthor gave you a chance for revenge, a chance to hurt her as much as she hurt you, you jumped on it. Seriously, kiddo, you're screwed, so you'd better…" But he doesn't finish his sentence, looking up at Clark, who has straightened up suddenly, jerking his head to his left as if he heard something. "Hey! You all right?" he says, frowning when he notices the sudden change of expression on his suspect's face.

_A tornado... heading toward Seymour, Texas... Its speeds at 200 mph and at least 550 feet across... Oh God!! I have to do something..._ After hearing the report on a radio in a car passing in the street near the police station, Clark frantically tunes his hearing on other broadcasts. As he takes in as much information as he can, he doesn't realize that he just rose from his chair, despite Sanders barking at him to sit back down immediately. Neither does he hear the other officers gathering behind the door, then bursting into the room, their guns in hand, alerted by their colleague's voice. Sanders holds his hand up to stop them, still scrutinizing the reporter, talking to him calmly but firmly, "Kent, you sit back down now... you just sit down."

Clark, still looking at some point on the far wall and oblivious to the guns aimed at him, doesn't react at first, then whispers, "I have to go..." He takes a step back as the cops stiffen, the tension palpable, Sanders trying again to reason with him.

"Kid... you hear me? You just sit back down now and everything will be fine, ok?" the inspector says, his own hand on his holster, slowly standing up, never letting the reporter out of his sight.

Suddenly Clark's frantic expression fades away. _It's gone... It dissipated before causing any harm..._ Sighing heavily with relief, he sits down on his chair, still totally oblivious to the commotion he just caused.

Sanders, also relieved, runs his hand over his bald head, waving at his colleagues to leave them. _That was a close call_, he thinks. _The guy's losing it..._

Reluctantly the cops close the door behind them.

Feeling suddenly washed-out, Clark puts his face in his hands, exhaling sorely. He wants to fly... just fly... He wants to feel the warmth of the sun on his face... he's cold... _so cold_. Just as Sanders is about to start the interrogation again, his partner, Doherty, opens the door, motioning the African American man to join him. They exchange a few words in low voices, which Clark doesn't even try to listen in on, then Sanders comes back to him, taking his arm to invite him to stand up. "Ok, buddy... I think you need some time alone to think about all this. I'm not finished with you, though..." Clark lets himself be dragged out of the room, his face low, past the many desks where people look at him inquisitively, and to the temporary holding cells corridor.

* * *

Just after Lee's talking watch announced half past four pm, the cab driver called by an employee of the Wichita Mid-Continent Airport meets her at the waiting booth. "Hi, Miss. I'm James Browdin, your taxi. Where d'ya want to go?" the middle-aged man with strong features and an abundant mustache says cheerfully while grabbing her bag and gently presenting his arm so she can take it.

"Hi. I need to go to a town named Smallville. I think it's about two hours drive north east from here. Can you take me there?" Lee answers while grabbing his arm.

"Sure, Miss. But it's in the middle of nowhere, you know…"

"I know," she says, chuckling. _At least I'm pretty sure it is, assuming he was telling the truth this time. _

A few moments later, as the cab leaves the highway to take a county road, Lee allows herself to drift into a welcoming slumber. Jimmy was right; taking a plane with a head injury was stupid. Now her head throbs like hell and she feels completely exhausted. Why did she do this anyway? Why is she here, in the middle of nowhere, when she should be resting at home and practicing voodoo, sticking pins in a doll with little glasses, a necktie and little red underwear? Suddenly her cell phone vibrates in her pocket, startling her. "Hello?"

"Err… Aileen. It's Lois… Lois Lane."

"Oh! Hi Lois. I take it you got my message," Lee says, lowering her voice to prevent the driver from listening to her. James though, actively following a football game on the radio, is not even aware she's on the phone.

"Yes. But first of all I wanted to tell you, in case you hadn't heard yet, that Clark's been arrested. They think he was involved in the kidnapping…"

Lee straightens up in her seat. "That's ridiculous!! How can they... We have to do something!" _Oh, my… that dork managed to get himself into trouble finally. It's a miracle it didn't happen sooner! Geez… at least it'll keep my hands free to do what I want to do here…_

"Perry is working on it. I trust him on that… Clark will be fine. We both know that he didn't do anything wrong." Lois pauses, then continues, "You said that they took Jason's blood…"

"Ah... Yes. I heard them say that. I don't think Jason was aware of it because he was still asleep when they did it. They also said… Well, is his father…?" Lee tries tentatively.

Silence meets her as a response.

"Listen, Lois. I don't want to interfere or anything, and I understand that this must be kept a secret for Jason's own safety, but… if he's really… _his_ son then _he_ should know about the blood samples."

Another pause, then Lois finally answers, sighing deeply, "You're right." _I've done enough to mess things up already. Aileen has a point._ "_He_ has to be warned."

"I'll do it." Lee says after a pause.

Lois feels her heart beating faster. "You... know... how to find _him_?" she says, doubtful, _jealous?_

"Yes… I may have a way to do it…" the red-haired women simply says. She stays on guard as she's not sure how much Lois _knows_ about the father of her son. She senses the turmoil of thoughts in the silence of the other woman perfectly. Wanting to go a little further, just to see… she adds, "Well… as soon as he's available again…"

Suddenly realizing the heavy meaning behind Lee's words, Lois breathes in. _She knows_..._ He gave himself to her… He trusted her… Oh course he did. _She remembers Aileen's words on that dock the other night: "_You know Lois, I pity you. If only you could see Clark as I see him… He's beautiful, Lois, so heavenly beautiful…_"

"Aileen..." she finally says in a breath.

"Please call me Lee."

"Lee... Please... Promise me something."

"Yes?"

"You have to take care of _him_... he's… he needs it, he... _deserves_ it."

A heavy silence settles between the two women. Lee, the knot in her throat growing, understands the meaning of Lois's words perfectly. She simply says, "I will."

"Thank you, Aileen. Bye," Lois says, hanging up, half heart broken, half relieved. She lost him; _he wasn't real… he wasn't mine._ Looking back at Jason, who's watching some cartoons on TV, sprawled on the couch, she sighs. She slowly wanders her eyes across the living-room, contemplating all the little things she chose with Richard, the objects they brought back from their trips, reminders of happy times and the love they share, things she never paid attention to before. She stops on a photo framed near the couch. Richard is smiling broadly, with a baby Jason bouncing and giggling on his lap. She smiles. _My family._

* * *

The sound of the door unlocking startles Clark. He's been concentrating so hard on focusing his hearing on the different news channels, then on the wind playing through the trees in a nearby park during the last few hours that he managed to block out all the sounds from this place and partially ease the unpleasant feeling of claustrophobia. He looks up through the door as an officer opens it, letting inspector Sanders enter the small cell.

"You're free, Kent," he says simply, his expression somehow softer yet with a tint of regret. "You seem to have... some good friends..." he adds, looking at the reporter right in the eyes.

Clark looks back at him, blinking. Afraid to have misinterpreted the inspector's words, he stammers, "I... I... am free... I mean... Am I free to leave?"

"Yes. Thanks to the person you were willing to protect so zealously. I must admit that I have some respect for your integrity, Kent. I guess I can understand that protecting your 'sources' is as important in journalism as it is for us," Sanders says, turning away after having grabbed the reporter's hands and uncuffing them.

Hesitantly Clark stands up and follows him, keeping his mouth shut in fear of saying something wrong, something that would put him back in the small blue room. He gives himself a mental note to remember to never paint a room in blue… _My sources? What is he talking about?_

He soon understands what Sanders meant when he spots the familiar silhouette of a tall, classy brown haired man, addressing a bright smile at a policewoman taking his statement. Clark shakes his head slightly when he notices the faint flush on the woman's cheeks. When Bruce Wayne sees him, he stands up and goes to him, taking his hand and shaking it cheerfully. "Kent! How are you since yesterday? What a pleasure to see you! I'm so sorry you went through all this because of me," he says, still shaking his friend's hand, squeezing it to make him join him in this game of his.

But Clark looks at him, clueless, eyes wide. "...because of you?"

The billionaire flashes a subtle but deadly glare at him, not letting go of his hand. _What a dork! And they call him super-man!_ he thinks to himself still smiling. "Yes, of course. I know that I made you promise me not to give my name in that investigation of yours yesterday when we met at Centennial Park during lunch time, but, when I was told you were in trouble, I immediately called my lawyer and we came here to make a statement to these gentlemen," he says loudly so everyone can hear him. Ignoring Clark's incredulous expression, he turns to Sanders. "Inspector, is everything settled, now?"

The Afro-American man looks at him sternly, a part of him exasperated by the cheerful and confident tone of the billionaire. He doesn't like this kind of loaded lady-killer. "Yes. He's cleared. We have enough to confirm your statement. If your lawyer can stay a little longer for the details, that'll be ok. Kent, here's your things." He hands the reporter the envelop containing his effects. "Next time you want to protect your source, just say it and don't play the retard." He then turns away without another word.

Clark stands there, speechless, holding the envelope, his mouth agape, as Bruce gives his last instructions to his lawyer.

* * *

Following his billionaire friend, Clark walks slowly through the doors, his envelope in hand, looking at his feet. His body is sore and his scar hurts now. He needs the sun… _badly_... When the cool air caresses his face, he suddenly stops on top of the stairs leading to the street, dumbstruck. The night has already fallen over the city. It seems that he has totally lost track of time. No healing sun to welcome him outside.

Bruce, noticing that his friend isn't behind him anymore, turns back and sighs. The man standing on top of the stairs is not the reporter he used to know anymore, nor the mighty being he is so often jealous of. All that Bruce sees now is the shadow of the man Kent used to be, the haunted look on his face reflecting his tormented soul. The billionaire would never have thought that one day he would feel this kind of pity for him.

Clark gazes up at the sky cloaked by heavy clouds. _It's there_, he can see it despite the clouds, despite the distance, despite his will not to see it. _It's there_, silently cruising in its endless loop around the Earth, oppressing him. The first erratic drops of rain hit his skin and the ground around him, soon followed by others and others until the pouring rain soaks him completely. Yet he doesn't move, still staring up at the sky.

"Come on, buddy." Bruce's voice suddenly comes to his ears as he feels a squeeze on his arm. His gaze focuses slowly on his arm, then on his friend, but he doesn't respond, his expression somehow empty. "Please, come on… It's raining and I'm not 'waterproof' like you," the other man says, smirking, pulling at his sleeve.

Clark lets himself be dragged out of the police station, down the stairs to the limo parked on the other side of the street. Alfred, Bruce's old butler, is waiting, already opening a large umbrella and rushing to his master more as a habit for etiquette than real utility as they're all already soaked. The old man opens the rear door, letting his master dive into the comforting warmth of the car, then looks at Clark who has stopped again, gazing back at the police station façade, dazed.

"Mister Kent... Please... Come inside," he says respectfully.

Clark, his soaked hair plastered on his forehead, looks back at him and blinks a few times. "Uh... oh. Sorry... Good evening Alfred," he says, smiling slightly.

The old man smiles back, "Good evening, Sir. Please, come inside." Looking gently at the younger man, he sighs. _Two men with the weight of the world on their shoulders, chosen by fate to protect it. Just two kids, so different yet so alike._

Clark finally surrenders and enters the car. A few moments later, the limo is pulling through the heavy traffic, heading north. Bruce, drying his hair with a towel that Alfred provided him, looks sideways at the reporter, who gazes silently out at the city. He hasn't said a word since they left the police station, and Bruce honestly doesn't know whether to slap him across the face or pat him on the back to comfort him. "You know you're a pain in the ass, boy scout. Ok, here…" He tosses a folder onto the other man's lap.

Clark, startled, stares at it a few seconds, then opens it, flipping through the different pages rapidly, his eyes growing wider by the minute. Statements, traces of his fictional stay in Lima, Peru, satellite shots of an unknown site with a few annotations marked on it, names, copies of papers from a four year admission to a private clinic owned by Wayne Industries. He opens his mouth but Bruce speaks first, "There… You now have a full clean past for those five years. Geez… why were you forced to choose something so lame?! The radiation, the biological parents, etc… It's been hard to put places, names and facts behind that. You could have chosen something… I don't know… more… common! Why didn't you stick to your llama rodeo and all that stuff anyway, dude?"

"How do you know about…" Clark starts, more and more stunned, but his friend interrupts him.

"Hmm… let's say that bats have more than good hearing…" he giggles, then adds "And fortunately, might I add. I had to know what you got yourself into this time. I saw Richard White's testimony. Ugh… no wonder he was that harsh with you, you stole his girl after all."

"I didn't… I was there first, remember?"

"But you left…"

"Yeah… thanks for reminding me." Clark says with a sarcastic glare. "I know… Besides Richard is a good guy. He's just willing to do what's necessary to protect Jason, and I'm grateful for that. He just did what he thought was right. Wait a minute... how did you find about Richard's statement?"

"I told you… Big ears..." he says, laughing. "But Geez! The radioactivity thing!! Did you really had to say this?!"

"I was trying to tell the truth… in a way… I wanted Lois to leave me alone about it. That's all," Clark replies, still flipping through the documents. He stops on an identity file. There's a picture of a man he does not know. He reads the name: Jordan Eldon. Doctor in nuclear research; Age: 62. Deceased. His eyes narrow as he realizes what Bruce did. "Is that some kind of a joke? How could you falsify all these documents? Who is this?"

"He's your biological father, man. Died during a failed experiment in a hidden laboratory not far from Lima. He was working for Wayne Industries before disappearing there. You managed to track him down and went there to confront him to find out why he had abandoned you, but when you reached the site, the people there were long dead and you got contaminated. You asked for my help and I sent you to one of our private clinics to heal, but it took four long years. What do you say to that? Am I not genial?" Bruce cries out proudly.

Suddenly, without any warning, Clark shuts the folder nervously. "You lied."

Startled, Bruce shifts on his seat to face the other man. "Excuse me?"

"You lied to the police. You made a false statement, you made all this... because of me. You didn't have to do that." Clark's tone is harsh and regretful.

"You're welcome," Bruce says, smirking. The reporter, annoyed, wants to add something but the billionaire continues, "And besides, it's not like you were going to get out of this on your own this time."

"But you lied," Clark says again, unable to get past it.

"I'm not you. I can do that."() Saying that, Bruce stares at his friend, scrutinizing him intently; his hair, still falling heavily over his face, is almost dry already, as are the rest of his clothes, from where a faint steam emanates, reminding him that Clark is not really human. The cracked glasses add a finishing touch to his really pitiful look. What did this dude have in mind in there? Was he really about to sacrifice his cover for a fcking vow for truth? Could he be that naive? Gazing out at the city, which is so different from his own, he snorts and says, "You're a fcking hypocrite anyway."

Clark's jaw drops. "What?!"

"You spent your entire life cheating on your friends and relatives, pretending to be someone you aren't, so don't give me that crap about 'lying,'" the billionaire says, his voice now dark and full of venom, leaving the reporter speechless.

Bowing his head, Clark slowly reaches for his glasses and takes them off. "I... I have to do that... to protect the people I care for, and..."

"Oh, come on! That's just bullsht and you know it!! You're just a coward! The only one you want to protect by doing that is yourself and yourself alone!!"

"No!"

"Come on! You gave a child to your woman and she still thinks that you sleep in the clouds!!"

"No... not anymore... She knows..."

"She knows? Since when?" Bruce says, narrowing his eyes.

"Since this morning, just... just before I got... arrested. I... I let her know..." the reporter stammers.

"I don't believe this!" Bruce slaps his own lap. "You finally grew some balls in those red panties of yours?!" Clark glares at his friend but it doesn't seem to affect him as he adds, "Wait... It was an accident, wasn't it? You weren't really willing to let her know, were you?"

"I was. I thought that she deserved to know the truth... because... it doesn't matter anymore now that... " but he doesn't finish his sentence, looking away again.

"What do you mean by _'it doesn't matter anymore?_' Wait... there's something else... yesterday... what you said to me... what you asked me..." Bruce's eyes narrow, then suddenly widen when everything becomes clear. "New Krypton! There's something about that rock. What is it?" Under the lack of reaction of the reporter, the billionaire suddenly looses his temper. He grabs the other man roughly by his collar and forces him to look back at him. "What is it with New Krypton?!!"

The expression on Clark's face is soft yet resolved. Sighing, he slowly but firmly forces his friend to release his grip, taking his hand in his, crushing it slightly to remind him of his strength. "The landmass is still growing..."

Rubbing his sore hand, Bruce says, "Yeah... but so what? That's old news. Everybody knows that."

"But nobody knows yet that when it stops growing, it will be a matter of days until it explodes," Clark says, looking at him straight in the eyes. Alfred, who has stayed silent and discreet since he started the car, can't refrain but look back at the two men in the rear view mirror. After a brief moment of disbelief, Bruce opens his mouth to speak, but the reporter adds, "The crystals that made that thing have a security system embedded in them. A self destruction program is triggered if the crystals are misused. If it explodes when it's close to Earth, the force of the blast will vaporize all life on the surface of the planet." The last words are spoken with a slight shudder.

Bruce blinks a few times, his mouth still opened, then the Dark Knight in him appears, his expression darkening. "When?"


	21. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

"When?" Bruce asks, his expression darkening suddenly.

"I don't know yet..." Clark confesses. "I can't calculate that until the landmass stops growing. I have someone surveying it for me."

"Hamilton?"

Clark looks at his friend, surprised. "Yes. How…"

"Told you… Big…"

"Big ears, yeah…" The reporter runs his hand nervously through his hair. "I didn't realize that I was being watched so… closely…" he says bitterly, tugging at his collar unconsciously. He breathes in, shifting on his seat and feeling suddenly somewhat trapped in this car, its interior space being too small for him, too confining. Having the disturbing sensation that the rooftop is about to crush him, he looks helplessly at the sky through the window. _I need some air… I need to fly…_

Sensing the sudden uneasiness of his friend, Bruce quickly answers, "It's not what you think. Hamilton came to me when you disappeared five years ago. Well… he came to Batman, thinking that _he_ would know how to contact you. I'm afraid Batman didn't have a subspace communicating device on his belt…" he chuckles, then returns to seriousness, adding, "You still trust him?"

"Why shouldn't I? He never deceived me. He didn't send me to Krypton."

"Yeah, whatever... But don't turn your back on him. He's a scientist, just like all the others, and would be more than ready to dissect you like a frog if he had the opportunity."

Clark shudders slightly at that but chooses to ignore it. "Bruce, do you have a way to access the web from here?"

"Of course!" the billionaire says, half miffed. He pushes a little button in front of him and the console before them opens to reveal a laptop. Clark opens it and powers it on, quickly typing his way through the navigator. His fingers move so fast that they rapidly turn into a blur, and Bruce is soon forced to give up trying to peer at the different passwords his friend enters to reach his personal space in a certain '_The Planet_' site. The reporter gets to his private messages box, checking it. Ten messages are waiting for him, all from a certain StarWatcher.

"No..." the reporter whispers as he opens them as quickly as the computer will allow.

Bruce lifts an eyebrow. "What?"

"It... It's begun..." Clark says, his face becoming pale. "The landmass stopped its growth. I need to see Hamilton." Clenching his jaw, he quickly closes the navigator and types a few rapid commands into the computer, erasing all traces of his presence before closing it. He then grabs the envelope containing his effects and spills its contents nervously on the middle seat. He takes his necklace and puts it on, saying, "Alfred, can you stop the car, please?"

As the butler parks the car obediently on the side of a deserted road, Bruce grabs his alien friend's arm and says, "Hey! Wait a minute! You don't intend to take care of this alone, do you?!"

Clark sighs. "Do I have a choice?" he answers, getting out of the car swiftly. But he regrets it immediately when a striking pain in his back catches him off guard. Crying out, he leans back heavily against the side of the car, clutching his side tightly. Alfred and Bruce get out of the limo and are immediately at his side, each one grabbing his arms to stop him from falling.

Worried, Bruce asks, "Hey, are you ok, buddy?"

Clark doesn't reply at first, concentrating on chasing the pain away with long, deep breaths. With relative success, he finally straightens up, inhaling sharply. "I'm fine... Just... need some sun..."

Bruce and Alfred exchange a doubtful look. The billionaire, not releasing his grip on his friend's arm, looks him in the eye. "Just some sun, huh? You used to be able to go without needing a sun fix for days before your trip to Krypton, if I remember right. Besides, you never told me that lack of sun was so painful to you. I thought it just weakened you."

"I said I'm fine," Clark answers dryly, wriggling out of their hands. He takes a hesitant step forward, testing his balance, and looks up at the sky. _At least it stopped raining._ He looks back at Bruce with a firm expression. "Thanks for your help, Bruce." Not waiting for an answer, he quickly mouthes an unknown word and rips his shirt open, revealing his still materializing red and yellow shield, before taking to the air. In just two seconds his clothes melt into his suit entirely before Bruce and Alfred's mesmerized eyes.

The young billionaire watches the super-hero disappear into the thick clouds, his cape flapping gracefully behind his back. "Whoa... Alfred, I want one of those!"

* * *

Martha looks at the clock on her kitchen wall: twenty past six pm. Clark must be free by now. When she contacted Bruce Wayne this morning after the call from Perry, she knew the young man would be the only one able to help her son. She smiles, remembering the day when the classy gentleman came to the farm just a few weeks after Superman had left Earth. He had given her his personal phone number, begging her to call whenever she might need anything. Of course, she never called... until today.

Suddenly Shelby, who was lazily sprawled at her feet, straightens up, growling slightly, and starts to trot to the front door. A few moments later, Martha hears a roaring sound intensifying; a car is coming. She peers through her window; _Ben is out of town for two more days, so who could that be? _she thinks to herself, quite worried.

* * *

"You're sure it's here?" Lee asks as the old blue truck stops.

"Sure, Miss. The Kent Farm, just like you asked, here you are," the old man with thick white hair answers, getting out of the truck and heading to the passenger's side. As he opens the door and helps the blind woman to get down, he spots Martha, looking quizzically at them from her doorway. "Hey, Martha!!"

"Evening, Josh," Martha replies with a slight smile. Josh, the grocery owner, a long time friend, used to go fishing with Jonathan.

"Look here at what I brought you! I found this young lady roaming around in town, looking for you," he chuckles, guiding Lee to the porch steps.

"Hi, Missus Kent. I'm Aileen Rogers, I work with Clark at the Daily Planet. We're... close friends. I'd like to talk to you... about... him," she says a little lower.

"Yes...?" Martha replies hesitantly, looking at her, surprised. _Clark never mentioned her in our conversations._

Josh, starting to wonder if he did right bringing the young woman here, asks, "Err, Martha... Do you want me to stay to take the lady back to town when you're finished talking?"

Seeing the alarmed face of the young woman, Martha quickly says, "No, Josh, that's ok. I'll drive her back. Thanks."

"Ok, then... Goodnight, Martha," he says doubtfully. He turns to Lee, nodding, having already forgotten that she can't see him do so. "Miss."

"Goodnight, Mister Edward, and thanks for driving me here," Lee says hurriedly.

The two women wait until the truck is far off down the dusty road, then Martha turns to Lee, stepping down the few stairs that separate them. "So... What is so important about my son that made you come all that way from Metropolis?" she says harshly, crossing her arms.

* * *

Emil Hamilton is busy studying a pile of printouts when Superman enters the secured room, lead by a security guard. "Ah! Superman, I was beginning to worry that you wouldn't get my messages in time," he says nervously.

"I'm sorry, Professor. I was taken elsewhere," Kal-El replies honestly. Focusing on the pile of papers the scientist has in hand, he triggers his special vision and starts to read the data at super-speed while saying, "So, did you manage to calculate the time window for the explosion from the equations and parameters I gave you?"

"Err... Yes... We entered it all into our computers and cross checked the results at least thirty times," the scientist says frantically while heading to a large screen where a 2D representation of New Krypton's orbital cruise around Earth is displayed.

"And...?" Kal-El asks impatiently, following him.

Hamilton presses a button to start the animation on the screen. "And everything coincides. We keep getting the same result." The 2D animation stops, showing a big stylized blast with a decreasing number under it.

Kal-El's eyes widen as he reads, "49187."

"Yes, 49,187 minutes left before it explodes, which means exactly 34..."

"34 days, 3 hours and 47 minutes," the hero says without hesitation. "And where will the landmass be at that moment?" The scientist pushes another button. Before Kal-El's eyes the screen now shows a list of numbers and data. "Oh no..." he whispers, feeling the knot in his throat growing.

Hamilton rubs the back of his neck nervously. "Yes... It won't happen at the lowest point in its orbit as we feared, but the explosion will be close enough to produce cataclysmic results over at least half of the planet, the closest point of impact being situated approximately above the north pole. We're still working on all the consequences of this event, but we can already attest to the annihilation of all life in the Arctic, Alaska, Canada, the upper United States and the eastern part of Russia, not to mention the seismic waves that will result from the force of the blast, even from this distance, and will travel across the Earth causing earthquakes and tsunamis, and finally the intense heat that will melt the Arctic ice pack and flood a yet to be determined amount of land." Eying the super-hero cheerfully, he says, "So... What do you propose?"

Kal-El's eyes widen suddenly. _What do I propose?_ He looks in disbelief at Hamilton, then at his assistant, who both stare at him with complete trust and hope in their eyes. They really think that he's able to do something about this, they trust him implicitly. They really do think of him as a god... Of course, they've all seen him do the impossible so many times in the past that now, once again, they believe he'll take care of this with one of his god-like powers. But he's not a god... He can't just blow that thing away with his super-breath in outer space. Every human being seems to believe in him, but he can't even take care of himself, making mistake after mistake. He feels like such an impostor. "I..." he starts, hesitant, then he straightens suddenly, speaking now with his usual confident Superman voice, "I'll take care of it." With that he quickly heads to the door and leaves the room.

Realizing the weight of the Kryptonian's words, Hamilton hurries to the door to catch him, saying, "Wait! I didn't mean - !" but as he opens the door and runs into the corridor, Superman is already gone. _Oh, my! What have I said? God help him._

* * *

Leaning against the fence, Martha gazes at the dying sun just about to disappear behind the far away hills. She has learned to love this star and not just see it as an important element in farming but also as the protector of her precious son. For half an hour now, she has listened to the blind woman talking about how she met Clark and how she felt close to him immediately despite his awkwardness.

It's easy for her to see the deep feeling behind Aileen's voice; she's become pretty good at it after all these years being in permanent alert in front of people in order to protect her son and his secret, always reading behind the lines, studying faces to see if they had an inkling about him...

"Mrs. Kent, I really care about Clark, but... he won't open to me," Lee says, lowering her head.

Martha faces her, looking at her sternly. "What do you want from me? You didn't come here just to tell me that you love my son, did you?"

The young woman sighs, rubbing her bandaged temple absently. Her head hurts. Why did she come here anyway? What was she expecting? If Martha Kent is really aware that her adopted son is not from this planet then there's no way that she'll ever confess it to an unknown. "I… I think Clark is in trouble."

Martha looks at her, stunned. How much does she know about him? After a long silence, she finally says, "Let's get inside. I'll make you some tea."

A few moments later they're in the kitchen. Martha pours some water in the kettle while Lee is seated at the table, running her hand absently over its worn surface, immersing herself in the characteristic scents of wood, baked cookies and other subtle fragrances that she's not used to smelling. She tries to imagine Clark seated at this same table, drinking coffee or tea and devouring his mother's cooking like any normal single man. Does he come here often? _Does he ever come?_ Her fingers feel something odd suddenly on the side of the table. She follows the clumsy carving and smiles. _CLARK. _She hears a chuckle behind her.

"Ah… Clark did that when he was about nine. When I saw it I went into cold anger and the poor boy went to hide under the table. Just then Jonathan, his father, came in from the fields and instead of giving him the correction he needed, he just said that it was time for him to get his first swiss-army knife!! Can you imagine that?!" Martha says, barely hiding her laughing.

Lee joins her in her laughing. _So he really was a kid, a farm boy. Clark is real. _These three words dancing in her head have such an effect on her that she feels like the final wall before her is crumbling to dust suddenly. She came here for this; she needed to know he was really the farm boy she fell in love with and not the super-hero masquerading as a human. She was right; Clark Kent really exists. Her expression serious but soft, she says, "Mrs. Kent… I love Clark, with all my heart. I don't know if he feels the same or not and honestly, I don't care. I saw his soul. It hurts so much to see him drift slowly into solitude like this. He's afraid to be fully loved, yet he feels so alone."

Martha lowers her head, running her fingers over a mug with a flying cow painted on it placed on the counter, _his favorite mug_. "I know…"

With tears starting to fall silently down her cheeks, Lee feels suddenly ashamed to show her heart to this woman. Martha must think that she's totally crazy. Wiping the tears away nervously, she stands up and walks carefully to the door leading outside. Her cane in hand, she follows the wooden balustrade and leans on it, breathing in the cool evening air to put her thoughts to order. Once again she tries to imagine Clark coming back from the fields or feeding the chickens. "I love you Clark… in spite of you… I'll love you always. You're not alone." Surprised to have said this aloud, she feels Martha's comforting hand on her shoulder.

"You can call me Martha," the old woman says gently.

* * *

Kal-El rockets through the scattered clouds at high speed. With a last look behind him, he gives a silent apology to the poor guard at the entrance of the S.T.A.R. Labs complex, who must have had the scare of his life when the glass doors exploded as he took off a little too fast.

Fists clenched, he flies up, gaining speed by the minute, passing Mach 1 as he reaches the stratosphere. The sun is there, welcoming, but he doesn't feel its warmth. His body is cold and sore and the sun rays seem to bounce off of it, denying his weakened cells their beneficial energy. He has no idea why his body reacts like that, but he doesn't care, looking straight ahead at the landmass on its course to its apogee far away from Earth. It's still close enough though for him to reach it... one final time. No matter that it won't explode for another month, there's no reason for him to wait. With Lois probably blaming him for everything and Lee hating him, what could be the use of hanging around trying to think of another solution? Besides, the news of this upcoming threat could induce uncontrolled panic all over the world, and he doesn't need that; he's much too tired...

No, New Krypton must be forced away from the Earth, and the sooner the better, to minimize the effects of the blast on the planet and to take advantage of the strength he has left. Continuing to barrel forward, he'll try to gain as much speed as he can, maintaining it until the collision, combining his momentum with the force of the rock's orbital trajectory itself to rip it out of the gravitational attraction of the planet, knowing that if he doesn't die from the impact, the kryptonite will surely finish him.

He won't have enough strength to come back.

As he reaches Mach 2, the millions of sounds from the Earth come to his sensitive ears and he realizes that he can't block them out. The sensation is unbearable but he gathers his remaining strength to gain even more speed. Wincing from pain, he knows the sounds will soon stop when he reaches space.

At Mach 3 he enters the mesosphere. Though the landmass slowly grows before his eyes, it's still so far away. He's cold, so cold. Oddly, the pain in his back is gone, replaced by a general numbness of his lower body, but it doesn't matter as long as he can still gain speed. He knows that Earth is beautiful to see from here but he won't look back, afraid to lose his resolve to do what they want him to do, what they need him to do. They're relying on him... He has to protect them this one last time. He doesn't want to think about his friends, his mom, concentrating instead on the last mission he's been given. Once again he's not able to say goodbye, he realizes. It's too hard. Maybe he can find peace here, finally. Maybe it's the place he's supposed to be after all... The sounds slowly fade away as he reaches the thermopause and the atmosphere thins to almost nothingness, his vision blurring. Shaking his head, he tries to clear it, but with no success, darkness slowly surrounding him. _No... Not yet... I need to do this..._

_...I love you..._

Letting out an almost silent cry he gathers all his willpower and gains more speed. _I have to do it..._

_...I'll love you always..._

The tears escaping his eyes freeze instantly into tiny ice-like diamonds in his wake. _I'm the only one who can do this!_

_...You're not alone..._

The words drift hazily into his consciousness. _I'm not alone? _His speed decreases rapidly. _I'm not alone. _He comes to a halt, gasping from the rarefied air, with bulging eyes. _I'm not alone. This voice... Home... _are the only thoughts that his shattered mind is able to produce. _This voice... _He can hear it, but... it's impossible, he's too high...

_...You're not alone..._

_Home... I just want to go home... _Lacking air, he lets himself fall back to Earth. His vision is still blurry and he senses himself slowly drifting into slumber. He's so tired and cold. He has a single thought: to follow this voice. Soon he sees it through the haze... his homeland, Kansas. He's almost there. He has to hold on just a few moments more... _Home..._

Darkness envelops him.

* * *

"Let's go inside. It's getting late."

Just as Martha and Lee are about to enter the kitchen, a deafening crash erupts from the barn, making them both jump in startled fear. Martha looks back to see a big cloud of dust coming out of the barn's roof.

"Martha, what is it?" Lee says, panicked.

"The barn... something in the barn..." Martha says, starting to walk toward the old building quickly. She grabs a pitchfork near the front and carefully opens the wooden doors, holding the tool up in front of her as a weapon. She looks up to see a big hole on the roof, then follows the dim ray of dusk light made tangible by the dust and hay still floating in the air. Her expression goes frantic when she spots another even bigger hole in the wooden floor. Whatever made those, crashed not only through the roof but ended up in their hidden cellar.

Lee catches up with her, carefully using her cane to not bump into the unfamiliar farm equipment. She reaches the old woman's shoulder. "Martha..." she whispers, scared by the sudden silence that surrounds them. Martha pats her hand to reassure her and starts to walk slowly toward the crushed floor, Lee just behind her. As they reach the hole, the dust grows thicker and entirely cloaks what lies beyond. Martha, unknowingly gripping her pitchfork a little tighter, peers through it, but sees nothing more than pure darkness. Lee, clutching her right arm, frowns suddenly, whispering, "Breathing... Martha, I hear someone breathing..."

Martha looks at her, then back at the darkness again. Her eyes widen. "Is anyone in here?" A muffled sound meets her but is enough to make her jump slightly, almost knocking Lee down. She looks around at the ground frantically, pushing the hay aside with her pitchfork until she finds the handles of the horizontal trap door leading to the hideout. "Lee, help me! Take this!" she says, grabbing the young woman's hand to make her grab one of the handles with her. "Pull! We need to open this trap door!" Both women pull at the rusted handle as hard as they can and manage to lift it. Still guiding the young woman, Martha proceeds with the second door until the stairs are perfectly accessible. "It's too dark in here. I'll go get a torch. Wait here," Martha says as she hurries outside to retrieve a flashlight.

Hearing the old woman's steps fading away, Lee takes a deep breath and starts to walk down the stairs carefully, using her cane to help her. The dark is not a problem for her, being her long time friend. She walks slowly, guided by the labored breath she keeps hearing, her hands in front of her. The dust makes her cough. Suddenly she bumps into something; she bends down to touch it and her eyes narrow as she registers what it is: papers, newspapers, all over the place. She stops and concentrates again; the breathing is still there, just a few feet ahead. She clumsily climbs over the piles of newspapers, almost falling head first one or two times, but she finally reaches _him_. She runs her hand over an arm, a shoulder, then rests it on a panting chest with a familiar crest on it, rising and falling at a rapid pace. She can feel a fast heartbeat under her fingers. "Clark?" she says gently, reaching for his face with her hand. His skin is cold, so cold.

Out of nothingness, he senses a sudden warmth on his cheek and hears a voice, a soft voice. _This voice..._ It's the voice he heard in his foggy state far overhead a few moments before, the voice that saved him, bringing him back to reason, bringing him back to Earth. He wants to move, but his body is completely numb. "Who..." he manages to say, surprised by the hoarseness of his voice.

"It's Lee. It's ok, Clark; you're home," Lee says, running her hands over his body in a rescuer's habit. She slaps herself mentally; _Of course he's in one piece. He's Superman, silly. He can't get crushed by an old wooden rooftop. _Sensing that he's starting to regain his senses a little, she tries a joke, "You always land like this when you visit your mom?" She hears a faint chuckle that satisfies her.

Just then Martha arrives with the lamp. "Lee? Jesus! I told you to wait..."

"I'm not afraid of the dark, Martha," Lee says, knowing perfectly well that wasn't what the other woman meant by that. Yet, not wanting to let things go unsaid anymore, she quickly adds, "And besides, I think Clark needs help right now. He's cold. That's not a good thing for him, is it?"

"What are you talking about? This man isn't..."

"It's ok, Mom... She knows..." Clark manages to say hoarsely. As he tries to get up, he fails miserably, slumping back down onto the newspapers all around him. Lee and Martha are immediately at his side, grabbing him by his upper arms. They manage to pull him upright, each one putting one of his arm around their shoulders. He leans heavily on them and lets them drag him up from the cellar, their tiny frames almost disappearing under his long cape. Slowly, they walk up the stairs one by one, cross the barn and head to the house.

After an eternity and two or three halts to adjust their hold on his limp body, they reach the house and sit him on the couch in the living-room. Martha looks at her son, heartbroken; he looks so fragile, so helpless, his skin pale and his messy hair falling again over his forehead like the other night. _There's no time to lose._ "Clark, can you get rid of your suit?"

Sitting by his side, Lee hears Clark mumble a strange word. He runs his trembling hand over his chest but nothing happens. He tries again with the same result. "I'm... not enough power... cold..." he manages to say, unable to speak complete sentences anymore as shivers and dizziness catch him again.

"That's ok. We'll do it the '_manual_' way, then," Martha says gently, running her hand over his back beneath his cape. She quickly finds the fastener and the cape comes off, falling behind him. This simple fact makes him shiver even more. She grabs a blanket that was on the couch and puts it over his shoulders. "Here, son. I'll go get some clothes upstairs then we'll get rid of this suit. Lee, can you stay with him?"

"Sure." She sits closer to Clark and starts to rub his back and arms through the blanket. She can feel his uncontrolled shivers and it scares her. _Superman is not supposed to be ill or weak…_

Soon, Martha returns with a handful of clothes and a few blankets. Her son barely registers it when she opens the fasteners on his back and pulls his upper suit off swiftly, leaving him bare chested, then operates his belt buckle. In a few moments the entire suit lies unceremoniously on the coffee table. Clark is now in a comfortable t-shirt and pajama pants. She puts the blanket back over his shoulders and add a second one over it, tucking them closely together. "Now... I'll make you your favorite tea. It'll help you get better, honey," she says, caressing his hair gently.

Closing his eyes to fight the dizziness, he slowly nods. He feels Lee's warmth at his side. Dazed, he tries to speak, "What... are you... doing here?"

Rubbing the back of her hand across his cheek gently, she puts her other hand on his lap. "I wanted to find Clark Kent... the real one..."

"You... shouldn't... have bothered..." he mumbles, not realizing that he's leaning against her hand, seeking its warmth. He's so cold that it hurts.

"Really?" she says calmly, pushing a lock of hair out of his eyes.

"You're... mad at me..."

"No."

"I know you are..."

"No, I'm not."

"You... have to be... I... deceived you..."

"Oh, shut up, idiot and lay down here," she says, half irritated, half amused by his drunken like tone. She pulls on his shoulders and forces him to lay his head on her lap. At first, she senses him tense up but he quickly relaxes under the touch of her fingers through his soft hair.

Clark closes his eyes. Her warmth is a blessing. Dazed, he slowly surrenders to a welcoming unconsciousness. He's happy to forget the landmass, the threat against Earth, Luthor, all his problems just for a moment, a precious moment. Tentatively putting his right hand on Lee's knee, he breathes in deeply and whispers with a childlike voice, "Don't leave me tonight... I don't want to be... alone."

"I'm not going anywhere," the young woman says, brushing his cheek tenderly.

When Martha comes back with the tea, he's already fast asleep.


	22. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

Just as the first rays of the newly born sun hit the far-distant hills to the east, Clark's eyelids flicker open. _Where am I…?_ He feels good, wrapped in pleasant warmth, rocked by a steady heartbeat, two soft arms enveloping him. _I could stay like this forever,_ he thinks hazily, his lips slightly curling into a smile. As his blurry vision slowly clears, he registers that he is in the familiar living-room of the farmhouse, his eyes falling on the worn out coffee table, the old sideboard covered by many framed photos of him and Pa, Ma sleeping soundly on the armchair in front of him, mouth wide open... He cracks a broader smile at the scene when suddenly his eyes widen. _Wait a minute! If Mom is in the armchair then who's…   
_  
As his head spins around frantically to the right, he realizes that he's cradled in Lee's arms, his nose just under her breast. She's curled around him, half laid under him, with his back resting on her belly and torso. She wrapped her arms around his chest in an obvious attempt to give him as much warmth as she could, and she must have fallen asleep in this uncomfortable position, as her head leans heavily on the back of the couch, tilted to her left. Blushing like crazy, Clark straightens up frantically to a sitting position, removing himself from her grip and making half of the multiple blankets that were tucked around him fall to the floor near the couch. His head immediately throbs in pain and his surroundings start to swirl around him. _Wow…_ He moans slightly, bringing his right hand to his forehead, wondering if this is what people feel after a night spent drinking too much. Taking a deep breath, he closes his eyes a moment, waiting for his body to adjust to his new position, then proceeds to stand up slowly, leaning slightly on the couch for support, still unsure of his legs.

The headache subsiding quickly, he risks a step forward. Satisfied with the small progress, he stretches contentedly and turns back to look at the red-haired woman who has now curled into a ball in her sleep. Smiling tenderly, he grabs the blankets and covers her, tucking them gently around her so as not to wake her up.

As he heads silently to the front door, a low voice makes him jump slightly. "Where do you think you're going, young man?" He turns to see Martha slowly standing up from the armchair.

His expression turns quickly from guilt to relief. With a faint smile, he says, "Hi Mom. I'm just going to get some sun." He notices the doubtful look on her face and adds, "Really… I won't be long, I promise."

She stares at him a long moment, which makes him uncomfortable, then walks to him and puts one hand on his cheek and the other on his own hand. Finally nodding slightly, she says, "Fine… you seem to have warmed up a bit. Go, but don't be too long. I'll have breakfast ready when you get back."

He nods shyly, then opens the door. The first shy rays of sun hitting his face are a blessing to him. He inhales deeply and starts to hover slightly, just a few inches above the wooden floor, looking at his feet, to test his ability to fly. After what happened to him yesterday, he's not about to risk falling back to Earth again so miserably.

"You're sure you need to go up there? Can't you just get your sun from here on the porch?" Martha says, gently rubbing the small of his back.

"No, the sun's rays are purer up there. They'll work on me much faster," he says, then looking back at her with a crooked smile, he adds, "And besides… It's like riding a horse… They say you have to get back on your horse immediately after a fall…"

Martha lifts an eyebrow at that, not really convinced that flying up to twenty or thirty miles above the Earth has much to do with riding a horse.

Still floating, Clark peels off his t-shirt and hands it to her. "It'll work even faster this way. I wouldn't want to be late for breakfast," he says, winking at her.

"Wait a minute, you intend to go up there in the sky, half naked?! Good Gracious, Clark! If someone spots you there, in pajama pants…!" the old woman says, alarmed and ashamed.

Clark can't help a chuckle. "Don't worry, Ma. Nobody will see me, and besides, I won't stay up there too long. I really need to get as much sun as I can." Looking up at the clear sky, he slightly bends before taking off, flying up rapidly.

Martha's gaze follows him until he's just a tiny dot in the violet sky. Sighing, she clutches the still warm t-shirt against her heart. _Son... What happened to you?_

* * *

As he flies up at a rapid pace, the sun's rays get more and more efficient and he feels his body slowly warming up. When he reaches his favorite altitude around thirty miles above the Earth, he gently comes to a halt, turning around to face his celestial yellow protector. Closing his eyes, he exhales calmly, opening his arms, palms up, to embrace the salutary light. He immediately senses tickles and light shivers running down his bare skin, signs that the healing photons are making their way through his starving cells. The golden light insinuates itself through his wreathing hair, making it glow, untamed raven locks brushing his forehead. As he breathes in and out slowly, mouth slightly opened, his bare chiseled chest rises and falls rhythmically, the rarefied but pure air running through his special lungs and the soreness of his entire body now definitely subsiding. The bright star gradually feeding him is pure ecstasy, its golden hands caressing his skin, running down his bare torso, enveloping him in a reassuring warmth, drawing a slightly contented moan out of him. _It feels so good..._ he thinks. _Yet..._

He brings his right hand up to his scar, wincing when his fingertips touch the sensitive skin lightly. It still hurts, after all this time; he can't ignore it. _There's something wrong here, I should have healed completely by now._ He tried a few times before to use his x-ray vision to peer at his wound from the inside but saw nothing special. There are no pieces of kryptonite left; he's positive of that. So why is it still hurting? Why is it not healing completely, and most of all why does it seem to drain him of his energy so quickly?

Sighing, he wishes he still had his crystals. _No, idiot,_ he reminds himself,_ There was no information about kryptonite in the crystals anyway, since it was created when Rao, our red sun, went nova and destroyed Krypton. Father would have had no idea what it was. _Shrugging the thought away, he turns around, letting the sun light fall on his back, hoping it will help heal this scary wound. From experience, he knows that he's almost completely recharged by now.

Mechanically, he looks up at the deep dark sky above him. The landmass is nowhere to be seen. It must be at the other side of Earth along its orbital cruise. _Good, I don't want to see it... now... just forget it for a few hours... I need to forget it, _he thinks, looking back down at the beautiful lands of Kansas, now bathed in morning sun light. He cracks a smile at the idea of the breakfast Ma must be preparing. That's what he needs right now; a good meal, Mom and... _a loving friend. Lee... _She came all the way from Metropolis, injured, for him. She came for Clark, she said. Could he be that Clark? He honestly doesn't know anymore, his mind getting more and more confused as the days pass.

Using his telescopic and special vision, he aims at the farm, seeking the silhouette of the red-haired woman. He finds her quickly, seated on the couch, awake, and it makes him smile again. Now focusing his hearing on the house, he blocks out all the other sounds, hoping to get a glimpse of what she must be discussing with Ma. He chuckles, knowing that Ma would kill him if she knew he was spying on her like this, but his smile fades away instantly when he hears the sound of the television in the living-room and sees the abash expression of Lee, soon joined by Martha. The President of United States is addressing the people in an official communiqué about New Krypton. _Oh no!! Hamilton has given out the information already..._ Clenching his jaw, Clark opens his hearing to various spots on Earth and realizes that the information has been relayed all over the worldHis eyes darken. _Oh, God..._

His heart racing madly beneath his chest, a moment of panic seizes him. He looks below, not knowing what to do for a few seconds then decides to go to the farm first. He needs his suit.

* * *

Somewhere under the docks of Gotham, in the grand luxurious room arranged in the underground complex, Lex Luthor sips his tea calmly, listening to his favorite opera, relayed by the high-tech sound system. Punctuating the music with rhythmic movements of his left hand, he savors the rich flavor of his beverage, closing his eyes contentedly. Everything is working out perfectly as he planned, but that's nothing out of the ordinary; he's a genius after all… he thought of every little detail, and his scheme is slowly taking shape, bringing him closer to his victory… _and his revenge!_

He smirks, looking sideways at the sofa at the far end of the room; Kitty is huddled up on the expensive furniture, rocking a furry stuffed toy in her arms. Her look unfocused, the young woman caresses the Pomeranian-like plush, singing softly an air that Lex cannot hear from where he's seated. He doesn't care anyway. _Really… things are getting better and better…_ he thinks, grabbing a piece of toasted bread and a spoonful of marmalade.

A knock on the door interrupts his thoughts, though. Hendricks appears, his expression cold as stone as always. "Sir, you should look at this," he says, grabbing the TV remote and pushing a button. Lex, annoyed to be interrupted during his breakfast, is about to throw him out of the room when the LCD monitor comes to life as the retransmission of the U.S President communiqué has just begun.

… _and our scientists have established that New Krypton is due to explode in thirty-three days, high above the North Pole. Despite the false revelations that have spread over the Internet since yesterday evening, there's absolutely no evidence that this comes as a threat to Earth as the landmass will be far enough away when the explosion happens…_

Kitty, who was listening silently, starts to laugh hysterically. Jumping up from the sofa, her laugher louder and louder, she dances around the coffee table. "Boom!! Ahahahahah…. Boom!!!" A sudden deafening sound makes her stop right away. Lex has just aimed a gun at the TV and fired. Hendricks looks at the smoking monitor, with sparks coming out of the hole in its middle, then his expressionless gaze turns to his boss, who's cold anger is rising by the minute.

"A few days... All I needed was just a month more to complete _it_ and now I have to change my plans. And all this is because of _him_ again and his pathetic alien technology! No wonder they all were destroyed, if their constructions were falling to pieces like that!" he snarls, pacing the carpet floor nervously. He comes to a halt suddenly, looking at Kitty menacingly, "But I will have _my_ crystals back!! No matter how, I _will_ have them!"

The woman buries her nose in the artificial fur of her toy, avoiding his deadly gaze.

* * *

Clark lands on the porch and goes immediately inside, his mind racing madly. He needs to see Hamilton and ask him why he spread the news so quickly; not that he wouldn't want the world to be prepared, but so soon... "Mom, I need to go. Where did you put my..." he starts, rushing into the living-room.

"You're not going anywhere until we all have had breakfast and a good talk," Martha says from the doorway of her kitchen.

He turns to face her, quite surprised by her sudden imperious tone. "Ma..." he starts gently, trying to keep his calm. "I really have to go. There are important things that I need to take care of first. We can have this talk when I come back..."

"Important things like rushing blindly into New Krypton?" a soft voice asks from behind.

Clark turns to see Lee standing up from the couch and walking to him. Mouth agape, he doesn't really know what to say to that. How do they know what he did yesterday? Could he have talked in his sleep?

As if on cue, Martha says from behind him, "Bruce Wayne called me last night while you were asleep. He told me about the whole New Krypton threat and that your scientist friend, Mr. Hamilton had contacted him, completely panicked because you seemed to have lost your mind, throwing yourself blindly at that – that _thing_. They tracked you until you fell under the radar somewhere in Kansas. That's why Mr. Wayne called me, to see if you had managed to get back here safely."

There's some calm anger in Martha's voice that Clark can feel perfectly. She must have been terribly worried when he crashed into the barn, and now she knows that he tried to push the landmass away, regardless of his own life. He's about to try to answer, when Lee, on the other side of the room, adds, "Clark, why did you do such a foolish thing?"

"I..." he starts, then his expression hardens, "I have no time for this right now. Mom, if you don't tell me where my suit is, I'll find it myself." He triggers his x-ray vision and quickly spots the suit in the closet near the stairs.

As he walks there to retrieve it, Martha throws herself in front of the door and looks up at him defiantly, brandishing her cooking spoon under his nose menacingly, her voice hissing, "Clark Jonathan Kent! As long as you're my son and in this house, you'll do as I say!! So you put your t-shirt back on and sit down at the kitchen table right now!!!"

She may not see them, but Lee can perfectly sense the tension between Clark and his mother. Wincing mentally, she braces herself, waiting for the blistering reply coming, but all she hears is a long sigh and a surrendering shy, "Yes, Mom," pronounced in an almost childish voice. At any other moment, she would have laughed at the very thought of this exceptional, powerful being chided like a teenager by this tiny woman, but the moment is not laughable with the seriousness of the situation.

A few minutes later, they're all seated at the table before a copious breakfast. Silence has settled between the three as neither knows what to say. Martha looks at her son, who seems to have drifted into another world again. By the tense look on his face, she has no trouble guessing where his thoughts are aimed. She heard it from Bruce Wayne, then from the altered version on TV: the world is in terrible danger once again, and her son thinks he's the only one who can do something about it. _Poor thing. Jonathan, I should curse you for filling his head with such idiot things... You said he was here for a reason... Hmff!! Yes, he is here to live a happy life, and not just be a servant to the World!_

As she pats his left hand motherly, rubbing its warm skin with her thumb gently, he looks up, slightly startled. He tries to hide his anxiety behind a smile but realizes that he's failing miserably, seeing her concerned face. He's given her nothing but reasons to worry since his trip to Krypton, and he hates himself for that. She's suffered enough because of him and _what_ he is already... To break the odd silence that oppresses him, he turns his gaze to Aileen and says sympathetically, "How's your head, Lee? Does it still hurt much?"

The young woman, who was rubbing her temple absently, turns her head in his direction. "Just a little headache... Nothing serious," she lies, smiling back at him. In fact, it hurts like hell and the last night spent half haunched on the couch in an awkward position didn't help.

Feeling the guilt rising in him as he contemplates the bandage on her temple, he genuinely says, "I'm so sorry for having left you with Jason like that... I should have made sure you were safe back at the Planet, or at least in a cab, before flying off." He bows his head, the scene of the unconscious woman and his son in that cckpit coming back into his mind. _I really shouldn't have left them..._ he thinks, taking a long swallow of his coffee.

Lee, sensing his discomfort, says, in an attempt to lighten the mood, "Hey, don't be sorry!! It gave me a chance to find out your secret." Hearing his barely hidden chuckle she adds, "And besides, I was in good hands with Jason; hey, I was protected by Superman's son after all!!" As she says that, she immediately hears Clark spitting in his coffee, almost choking, and the clinking noise of a fork knocking on a plate on her right, then nothing more than a dead silence... _Oops..._

* * *

Lois crosses the bullpen at a rapid pace, her heels hitting the floor repeatedly, Jason in her arms. The last few hours have been quite hectic with the recent news of New Krypton's menace. Yesterday evening, Perry had called Richard at home to tell him about the information that has been relayed all over the internet: New Krypton is due to explode in a month and the blast will have dramatic consequences for the Earth, according to one source. The entire newspaper is on red alert now. Richard spent the entire night in his office, getting in touch with all his staff around the world to survey the reactions in the different countries. Until the official announcements from the authorities in US, Europe and Russia, nobody seemed to have taken it seriously. Now the menace is minimized, the President stating that the explosion would not have side effects on the planet, but fear and doubt has settled in and people are eagerly waiting for Superman to appear and give his statement about all this, seeing him as the only reliable source in these troubled times.

Lois knows that Clark is in Kansas right now; according to Perry, he took the first plane yesterday after having been cleared from custody by Bruce Wayne's miraculous help. She wonders how much the billionaire knows about the reporter's true identity and most of all what real part he plays here. She'll have to ask Clark about it when he returns. In fact, she'll have a million questions to ask him, assuming he's willing to answer her due to the big distance they've put between them with the recent events. He said it would take time for him to trust her again as a partner... Then she learned who he was and it's now her turn to wonder. Their former relationship was founded upon lies and unsaid things, and now she honestly doesn't know where to start from, considering what's left of their former bond, if there ever was any.

Shrugging those thoughts away, she concentrates back on her job as she knocks on Richard's office door. She's not really surprised to see him sprawled over his desk, his head on his right arm, breathing soundly. By looking at his pale face and growing beard, it's clear that he hasn't closed his eyes once until now. She hasn't been at rest either, and spent the night at home working on trying to find the source of the initial information, calling her sources and trying to contact NASA and STAR Labs representatives, not caring if it was in the middle of night. With the serious context, she doubts anyone was spending a good night anyway...

Only Jason seemed to sleep blissfully, which is truly the most important thing to her right now. The last few days have been hard for him and she's really worried by his changing behavior. He's seeming to slowly close himself off and has lost some of his playfulness. She was reluctant to bring him here today, as talking about the imminent end of the world wasn't the best thing he needed right now, but really she couldn't convince herself to bring him back to school yet. Even if the police had promised to post some officers there for his safety, she doubts that they could do anything against Luthor if he tries something again. And besides, what if Jason shows some of his powers again?

"Mommy, is Daddy dead?" the young boy suddenly says as she puts him down on his feet.

Stunned, she looks at him with wide eyes. "Jason! No, Daddy is just asleep because he spent the night working, darling."

Jason nods and trots to his father, slightly shaking him to be sure, and it breaks her heart. He's been through too much stress and it's starting to show now. "Daddy? Are you dead?"

Richard, finally emerging from his restless slumber, turns his sleepy eyes to his son. "Hey, sport... Wow... What time is it?" He checks on his phone and hears the familiar beeping tone. "Oops, I think I fell asleep while talking to Vincent from Paris," he says with a tired smile, rubbing his eyes. Looking up at his fiancée, he gathers himself up and explains the situation, "So far, we don't have anything concrete. People are still incredulous. Most of them haven't taken the official announcements quite seriously. I'm afraid they're all waiting for Superman to speak and save the day again," he adds with a barely hidden wry tone in his voice. Ignoring Lois's scolding look, he asks her, "What about you? Have you found anything interesting?"

"I called Jeffrey, you know the kid who was caught a few months ago trying to hack the Planet computer network. Well, he owed me a favor, so I asked him to trace the source of the original information on New Krypton. He's on it right now and should call me when he gets something," she says, then adds, "I also managed to set up two meetings today, one with Harchibald Hartwood from NASA, he's in charge of all the orbital research, and Emil Hamilton from STAR Labs complex in New Troy. They were surveying the landmass since Superman launched it into space. I should get some interesting information from them."

Richard can't help a little tint of pride regarding his fiancée. "Good. I'll keep Jason here with me, if you want. I shouldn't have to leave the office until tonight anyway, I'm afraid."

"Ok. I'll go see Perry for the details of the next headline." Saying that, she bends down and kisses his lips.

Surprised, he returns the kiss shyly. After a moment of hesitation, he calls her back as she's about to exit the office. "Lois!"

She turns around. "Yes?"

"I..." he starts, embarrassed. "I'm glad that Clark was cleared. I'm sorry to have doubted him," he finally says, lowering his eyes.

Lois's expression softens. "It's ok, Richard. You wanted to protect our son; I'm sure he understood that." She smiles at him gently and leaves.

Richard looks back at his son, who took position on the armchair in the corner of the office with a book in his hands. _Poor kid. He should be with his friends at school right now._

* * *

It's already half past eleven and the sun is high in the sky. Clark is on the roof of the barn, busy fixing it with fresh woodcuts. He already took care of the wooden floor below in no time, once again hiding their cellar from praying eyes, and he now takes the occasion of repairing the roof to bathe in the benefiting midday sun.

Working with experience as his Dad taught him, he hammers the nails into the boards with his thumb, taking his time, savoring this moment alone with himself after the hectic morning. Tittering slightly, he thinks that Ma didn't take the fact that she was a grand-mother too badly after all. There was a scary silence at first, then he started to really worry about her catatonic state until something went off in her. While Lee was literally hiding behind her mug of coffee, he had to receive the lecture of his life, thrown back to his childhood when he had buried her jewelry once in the backyard under the big tree, pretending it was a treasure and he was a pirate, only to find out an hour later that their dog had dug it up and swallowed her grand-father's antique golden watch. He must have been eight or barely nine years old at the time, but the Martha Kent storm he had to face then had nothing on today's tornado.

Sighing, he admits that he deserved it all. Well... maybe not the fact that she threatened to brew some kryptonite powder into his tea and force him to swallow it if he didn't snap out of the irresponsible wreck he had become. _That was low..._ For the first time his wound came in handy as a sudden strike of pain tore at his face and cut the argument short, Martha returning in a split second to her over-protective mode. He finally wound up forced to promise to stay here today and rest.

The world can wait for him for one day, and he realizes that he really needs the rest, physically and emotionally. Besides, he can trust Ma to keep an hear open for him on the news around the world and warn him if he's really needed somewhere.

Pausing a moment, he closes his eyes and breathes in the warm breeze, inhaling the soothing fragrances of the fields. The light plays with his raven hair, bluish highlights dancing on his swishing locks. Opening his eyes, he looks at his hands, slightly tinted by dust and iron from holding the nails, his white t-shirt dirty from holding the woodcuts and ripped out on one side, his old pair of jeans almost to big for him these days, and his comfortable sneakers that he's always happy to wear when he comes here. A crooked smile forming on his full lips, he nods contentedly. _This is the real me, I guess..._

He quickly finishes closing the hole, speeding up a little more than humanly possible, then takes the few remaining boards and nails and floats down to return them to the back of the barn. Rubbing his hands on his jeans, he slowly walks back to the fence and notices just then that Lee is waiting for him, her arms crossed beneath a pale yellow shawl that he recognizes as being his mother's. The light in her red hair makes it look like it's on fire. The young woman turns her head to him as soon as she hears his steps, and smiles shyly.

Taking a deep breath, he reaches her, feeling confident for the first time in front of her. "Hey..." he says softly.

"Hey..." she replies, bowing her head slightly. A few minutes pass in silence then she inhales deeply, holding her left hand up to touch his arm. She needs to know... "Clark... I'm sorry for this morning. I was a total idiot. I assumed that your mother knew about Jason, and I just made a big mess..." She waits for a tension to rise up in his arm that doesn't come.

"Lee..." Clark says, "You can't imagine how glad and relieved I am that everything's finally out in the open now." Chuckling, he adds, "And... I guess I'll just have to be more careful when I drink coffee here from now on..."

Lee laughs at the remark, then bows her head again. She's surprised by her own shy behavior in front of him. Is it the fact that he seems to be himself for the first time? Is the real Clark so intimidating? She's not used to be intimidated, but in the last few hours the clumsy Clark from Metropolis and the heavenly powered Superman have seemed to fade away to let her meet the lost child raised as a farm boy, the man she _saw_ that fateful evening just for a short instant; the man she fell in love with.

The caress of a hand on her shoulder brings her out of her reverie. With a sudden mischievous smile, Clark looks at the barn, then back at her, and says, "Are you hungry?"

Startled by his playful tone, she nods, more to discover what he has in mind than real hunger, Martha's breakfast being more efficient than any in Metropolis.

"Ok, stay here. Hold on just a few minutes," he says. The next thing she hears is the sound of a sudden _woosh_, and he's gone.

A few moments later she hears the doors of the barn opening, footsteps and hooves hitting the dusty ground, coming her way. _Oh, no.._. "That's not what I think it is, is it?" she says, alarmed.

Pulling the reins of a beautiful, dark Appaloosa, Clark walks to her, holding a backpack, a lopsided smile illuminating his face. Ma was reluctant to let him go at first, but surrendered quickly and gave him some take away food. "Here you go, Mademoiselle," he says, reaching for her hand.

Lee backs away instinctively. "Oh, no you don't!"

"What?" Clark says innocently. "What are you afraid of? Here..." He grabs her hand gently and brings her to touch the animal's thick neck, letting her caress it. Still guiding her hand, he lets her wander it over the flanks and croup. "Do you feel the spots? Krypto is an Appaloosa. The spots usually have slightly longer hair..."

Lee lifts an eyebrow. "Krypto?"

Chuckling, Clark pats the horse's flanks gently. "Yes, Krypto has blue eyes and what we call a 'snowflake' pattern, which means he's black with white spots all over his coat. Mom thought that he looked like a star field, and, well, with the blue eyes, we decided to name him for Krypton. Besides, I don't think anyone around here would make any connection with Superman..." Saying that, he suddenly puts his hands on her hips and lifts her effortlessly, placing her on the horse's back.

Not able to suppress a scream, she grabs the mane frantically "Clark! No! Really... Please, No!!" but the young man ignores her pleas and jumps swiftly, placing himself just behind her on the animal's back.

"Don't be afraid. You're safe with me. Just lean against me and relax," he whispers softly, his lips slightly brushing her right ear.

His warmth against her back soothes her immediately. She releases her grip a little on the mane as the animal starts to walk calmly. "Ok... I can relax... I'll just relax... we can't fall... of course we can't fall... you fly... so you won't fall... if we fall, you'll fly... and I'll fly too. We won't fall, will we?"

"Shhhhh..." he says, smiling broadly. "You're stiff as a rod. Here, relax and just feel the movement." He places his left hand on her belly, forcing her to lean closer against him. With the other hand, he guides the animal, the reins loose in his grip.

Blushing at the close contact of their bodies, Lee tries to hide her embarrassment, "Err... do you always mount bareback?"

Squeezing his legs slightly to make the animal accelerate, Clark laughs openly now. "No, but honestly, western saddles aren't really made for two people at the same time."

Starting to feel at ease, her hips rocking slightly in perfect harmony with his, she lets her shoulders relax, putting her left hand over his warm one. She can feel his broad chest rising and falling against her back and his steady heartbeat, slightly slower than a human rhythm. They go like that for a moment, savoring the serenity of the silence, then Lee asks, her voice now tempered and soft, "Clark?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you ride often? I mean... when you're not saving the world or writing articles," she asks, leaning her head on his chest, her hair tickling his neck.

"Of course. Well... I used to before I left Earth. Krypto was just a colt," he answers, breathing in her shampoo.

Curiosity starting to tease her, she says, "But... why would you ride a horse when you can fly?"

His smile softens. "Normality. I just enjoy it. Would you ask the same question to a man riding a horse when he can drive his car?"

"Point taken," she says, snuggling up to his neck. She feels his arms enveloping her a little tighter.

"Ok," he says suddenly. "Now that you got it right, let's speed up some more." With that he squeezes his legs a little and makes a clacking noise with his mouth, commanding the horse to initiate a gallop.

Lee screams immediately this time, not from fear but from excitation. As the animal leaves the dusty road to cross an endless field, the young woman's cries of joy resonate over the land. The cool wind whipping her face, she tightens her grip on Clark's left hand, her other hand now resting on his right thigh. They soon disappear behind a hill.

* * *

Martha opens the lowest drawer of her wardrobe. Rummaging through it, she quickly finds what she's looking for: a large photo album. Putting it on her lap, she opens it, turning each page reverently. It's the album where she's kept most of Clark's true photos, not the classic ones that decorate the living-room without giving away anything suspicious. Those in this album show the teenager hovering above his tree-house and smiling broadly, or the younger boy lifting Jonathan's old truck. Martha laughs silently when she falls on the picture showing her son and his first experience using heat vision for a barbecue... _A real disaster_, she remembers. Her eyes lay suddenly on a very old photo of Jonathan holding his five year old son proudly in his arms, and tears immediately fall down her cheeks. She touches the protective plastic with trembling fingers, covering her mouth with her other hand to hide a sob.

_Will he ever be able to feel the joys of being a father like his Dad before him? Will he have time to love and be loved again before it's too late? Oh, Clark..._

* * *

The calm breeze of the afternoon caresses her cheeks. _What time is it?_ Lee doesn't really know and doesn't care either, anyway. Leaning on one arm, she runs her fingers through Clark's thick hair.  
He fell asleep without even realizing it about an hour ago, just after they finished their picnic he had brought in his backpack. He had found a real calm place on the top of a grass covered hill and they had settled there. After dessert, he had let her lay him down again, resting his head on her lap, had closed his eyes and they had played a little game to see who was the best able to recognize the sounds surrounding them. He may have super-hearing but he was quite surprised to realize that she was able to hear a great amount of subtle sounds and noises, and she was proud to compete with a master in this. But after only a few minutes of this game, she sensed him go limp across her legs and heard his slow rhythmic breathing. Sighing, she resigned herself to let him rest as long as he needed it.

Her hand now smooths his locks absently, playing from time to time with his spit curl, no longer hidden under his thick fringe of hair.

After another half an hour, Clark finally wakes up with a start, taking a few seconds to register where he is. A soft "Hello, sleepy head," greets him and makes him smile.

"Hello. I did it again, didn't I?" he says, not really feeling any urge to pull away from her lap, enjoying the sun on his face.

"Yep. You drifted to sleep in no time. I thought you did it to avoid losing against me at our little game," she replies, her hand now placed on his shoulder.

"Hmm... I wish it was as trivial as that. I'm afraid that I was just too tired," he says honestly.

Lee tilts her head a little to her left. "It's not normal, is it? I mean, for _you_..."

Getting up to a sitting position, Clark sighs, frowning slightly. "I guess it's no use to tell you that I'm ok, is it?"

"I hope that by now, you realized that keeping everything to yourself isn't getting you anywhere," the young woman says, now serious, placing her hand on his back.

Clark inhales deeply, gazing at the fields surrounding them. _It's not that easy..._ Keeping secrets had to be his way of life since he came to earth, since he was born. He was so used to it that he even shut himself off, denying himself his own real personality, building up his own Fortress of Solitude, not only in the Arctic, but in his everyday life, too. Still gazing away, he asks, "Lee... are you afraid of _what_ I really am?"

Startled, Aileen pulls her hand away quickly.

Taking her gesture as an affirmative reply, he sighs, his shoulders slumped, but two hands immediately come to press on them. Lee crawls by his side and is now kneeling, facing him, her expression soft and resolved. Apprehensive, he looks up at her intently as she gently puts her right hand on the middle of his chest.

"I feel... a heart beating here..." Not leaving his chest, she grabs his left hand with her own and brings it to her chest. She can perfectly sense his heartbeat speeding up as he holds his breath. "What do you feel?"

Closing his eyes, he exhales and whispers, "Your heart... I... I feel it beating."

Nodding, she smirks, "See... we're not that different." As she hears him chuckle slightly, she adds, "And I'm sure that you have more human flaws than you think..." She suddenly leaves his chest to dive onto him and starts to tickle his sides, a malicious grin on her face.

Clark reacts immediately, laughing helplessly, trying to escape the unbearable teasing torture. "Lee! No!.. Please... No, I can't... Ahahaaaa..." He ends up falling on his back, his arms spread at his sides, the young woman, seated across him, her hands pressing on his wrists. Out of breath, he looks up at her smooth face deformed by a Machiavellian smile.

Satisfied by her victory, she straightens up and frees him, sitting back at his side, still facing him. "See... I was right. You don't look like you're made of steel either..." she says, laughing aloud, joined by him right away. They laugh like that a few seconds until she tilts her head again to her left, turning it in his direction. "How is it possible that you can feel tickles when bullets bounce off your skin? I mean... you're truly invulnerable, aren't you?"

Smiling gently, Clark takes her left hand and places it on his forearm, guiding it to rub softly against his bare skin. "Here... I feel this perfectly... as you can tell, I'm even very... sensitive... to touch..."

She chuckles, letting him guide her hand over his arm, feeling his warm skin under her fingertips.

"Now, if you press on my skin stronger, there a moment when I don't feel anything anymore... Go on, try to press on my arm harder..." As she does as he says, he sees her knuckles diving into his skin. "Here... I sense nothing."

Her knuckles becoming white, she releases her grip, amazed. "Wow, I could feel your arm becoming suddenly hard as stone. That's amazing... and terribly convenient," she says, her eyes wide from curiosity.

He laughs at her remark, slightly blushing, and as she continues this experience, poking his chest with her index, then exploring his shoulders and back, he adds, "I suppose it is. Actually, it's sort of an aura that my body automatically creates. You could compare it to an electro-magnetic field of some sort and..." But he can't say more when his breath is cut off by a sudden shot of pain as Lee's fingers press on his scar through the fabric of his t-shirt. He cries out, leaning forward to escape the painful pressure.

"Clark?! Oh, My... did I hurt you?" Lee says, totally clueless. "Oh, I'm sorry..." She puts her hands immediately on his shoulders, feeling his shivers as he tries to steady his breath.

"I... I'm ok... it'll go away... in a few minutes..." he mutters under his breath, closing his eyes.

Afraid to touch him again, she puts her hands back on her lap. "It's the stab you received from Luthor, isn't it? The wound that was still hurting you this morning?"

"Yes... but it should be healed by now... I don't..." but he doesn't go further, looking away.

"Don't do that..." Lee says, her eyes pleading with him, holding her hand toward him, but stopping in mid-gesture. He turns to her, his eyes slightly glittering from the subsiding pain, pinching his lips together. "Don't close yourself up on me again... Talk to me, Clark..."

He hesitates a moment then takes her hand in his, rubbing her soft skin gently with his thumb. Looking at her intently, he says, "I'm scared, Lee. I'm terribly scared."

Feeling her heart break at his trembling voice, she reaches for him with her hands and pulls him into a hug, her arms encircling his shoulders and her chin resting on his head. As he closes his eyes, she says softly, "It's ok. We'll find a way... You're not alone, Clark. We'll find a way."

The reassuring words flow over him, enveloping him in a soothing blanket. _We'll find a way... for my scar, my illness, for New Krypton. I don't have to be alone to face this... We'll find a way..._


	23. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22: Resolutions**

Nervously pacing one of the long corridors of the underground complex, Lex fumes. _Why me? Why is fate against me? What have I done to deserve this?! _He finally stops in front of a heavy metal door guarded by a thug. Eying the man with a disdainful look, he motions him to open the door.

As he steps inside, his expression lightens a little, unbridled pride showing on his features. Below him, a gigantic underground hangar extends itself down through three levels. Metallic footbridges, like the one he's standing on, cross the vast structure at the different levels, losing themselves in the dark of the opposite side of the hangar, allowing the many technicians and scientists to navigate through them like ants scurrying over an anthill. In the center of the area, a huge maze of interlaced scaffoldings surrounds an enormous futuristic jet shaped vaguely like a bird of prey.

Stepping onto one of the upper catwalks, Lex walks slowly, wandering his eyes over his creation, following its smooth curves. _You're beautiful, you surpass everything I ever imagined._ Arriving at the level of the giant's eagle head like nose, he pats its cold metallic side, running his fingers on the smooth surface. _You'll be my pride; you'll show the light to this new world to be. My light…You'll be the first of many…I just need more time…_

Spotting a man with long, black, untamed hair, small glasses and wearing a white button down shirt, Lex calls out to him, crossing the different stairs to reach him under the metallic beast's belly. "Hey! Dr. Shaffer!"

The man looks up and gratifies him with a nervous smile. He obviously fears the bald man, like most of the scientists and technicians working here. They're all here for obscure reasons; some because of insurmountable debts, others brought here by blackmail, some hiding from justice after some sort of illicit experimentation. Luthor chose them well, or at least relied on his mystery 'source' at Wayne Industries to do that. Nothing has been said explicitly, but rumors circulated among the people kept here in secret: all those resources, all this high-tech material are related in a way or another to the famous international holding. Shaffer himself makes no exception, having been employed by the renowned W.N.T.I., the Wayne New Technology Institute in Seattle, for fifteen years before being fired and pursued for illegal research on artificial neural networks and nanotechnology to weaponry ends.

The bald man with a bright sympathetic smiles says, patting him on the back, "So… Shaffer, how is it going?"

Unsure of the other man's friendly manner, the scientist looks at his notepad to give him composure. "Well… the main structure is completed and the different sections are already processed to be connected together. If all goes well, I'll be able to connect the artificial brain onto it and start the different installation processes," he says, wiping some sweat out off of his brow with a small, white tissue.

"Fine, fine," Lex replies, smiling even more broadly. "When will _she _be operational?"

The scientist looks at his notes, thinking a few seconds. "Err… We should have it ready for the initial tests in three weeks or so and…"

"No, no…" the bald man says, showing his bright teeth in a wicked laugher. "Dear Doctor Shaffer, I know you can do better." His smile disappears suddenly, startling the scientist. "I want it ready in fifteen days, am I understood? Let's say that we both have an appointment…" he adds, barely hiding his excitement.

"B-but… It's impossible, we can't…" Shaffer stammers, wide eyed.

"If I don't see my beauty fully operational, taking to the sky in fifteen days, you won't see the light of the sixteenth day, Shaffer," Lex says, his voice cold as stone. Not awaiting a reply from the petrified man, he turns back and walks away, whistling joyfully.

* * *

It's already late in the afternoon when Clark and Lee finally come back from their ride. Enthralled by their conversation, the young man doesn't notice the old truck parked in front of the house, and, when he enters in the kitchen holding Lee by the hand and calling out happily, "Ma! We're back!" he freezes in place, seeing Ben seated at the table.

The old man, who was reading a newspaper thoughtfully, looks up at them with a gentle smile. He gets up and holds his hand out to Clark cheerfully. "Hi Clark. I'm so glad that you're all right, son."

Clark shakes his hand absently, his eyes desperately seeking a sign from his mother, any help or hint she might give about how he needs to act right now.

Ben notices that and immediately says: "Don't worry, kid; your secret is safe with old Ben. I'd do anything to protect you and your mom. You know that, don't you?" He puts his other hand on top of their hand shake to emphasize his words.

A long silence passes, Clark looking at Ben intently, their gazes locking as shock and fear slowly give in to relief. This man, who he has always known as his Dad's friend, as the neighbor who used to help in the fields, who was always there in both good and hard times, who he asked to look after his mother when he left to roam the world in his early years, and finally who he asked again to take care of her before leaving for Krypton. He must have known all along that Hubbard was the right man for her, but now it's so difficult to admit, to see him here, sitting in Jonathan's favorite chair, stealing his place in this house and in his mother's heart… Slapping himself mentally, he shrugs his selfish thought away. His expression finally softens and he gratifies the old man with a relaxed smile. Nobody deserves to be living alone, Mom even less than anyone else in the world. "Thank you Mr. Hubbard," he says simply, almost shyly.

Martha, who nobody has noticed yet, crosses the kitchen and comes to them, resting her hand on Ben's shoulder affectionately. Looking up at her son, she says, "Ben called me this afternoon. With the way the news is talking, he decided to come home earlier."

Ben adds, "Yeah, the whole 'end of world' thing sounds so unbelievable and more than a little alarming! And then Martha told me about the state you arrived here in yesterday. Are you feeling better now, son?"

Still not used to talking so openly about himself, Clark opens his mouth and looks mechanically at Martha as if to ask her what to say. When she just shrugs her shoulders, he stammers, "Well... I... I'm ok... I guess."

Lee who hadn't say anything until now, adds, "I think Clark still needs some rest and sun, but he's much better than yesterday."

"Oh, Ben let me introduce you to Aileen. She's a friend of Clark's, and, well... she's in on the secret too..." Martha says, smiling broadly.

As the conversation goes on between the three people in front of him, Clark watches the scene, mesmerized by this new, strange situation. Before his eyes, these three are chatting casually, seeming to fit well together. Gazing at his young friend from behind, his eyes wander to her soft hair, the curve of her lips as she talks, the way her tiny shoulders shake as she laughs at a funny comment Ben just made. A warm wave envelops him all of a sudden, making him smile slightly. A few people now share his secret, easing the weight of it a little. Now he knows that he can safely come here without fearing anymore for his identity. This place is his to be himself, and with Lee he'll also have a haven in Metropolis. _Things have definitely changed, but these are good changes… I guess_, he thinks. His problems may still be real, but now he knows that he doesn't have to face them alone. Smiling even more openly, he allows himself to join the conversation, embracing this little moment of normality. S_uperman will soon have to come back to the world, but I just want to be myself for a few moments more._

* * *

Somewhere beneath the hills bordering the outskirts of Gotham, in a dark and moist cave hidden in the innards of Wayne's property, the few thousands bats are resting noisily, their tiny bodies agitated in their unceasing chittering activity, completely ignoring the man below them, haunched over an enormous console regrouping a few computers, screens and other electronic devices.

Bruce types on his keyboard, entering data, then looks up at the giant screen in front of him, waiting for his high-tech computer to process the information. As he leans back in his seat, reflecting on the data showing up, Alfred appears in the dark catwalk leading to the dim illuminated main platform, holding a silver tray with food and wine. "I think you forgot diner time... again, Master Bruce."

Still scrutinizing the screen, the billionaire nods absently, grabbing the glass filled with red wine from the tray. Sipping some of the rich liquid, he runs his fingers over the touch pad to read more of the data in front of him.

The butler looks up at the screen after having placed the tray safely on a side console and asks, "Have you found anything yet?"

"Maybe... I conducted a lot of tests on the sample we have and checked the data I could grab from N.A.S.A. and STAR Labs..." Bruce says, ignoring the glare Alfred throws at him at the mention of his master blatantly hijacking those highly secured networks. "According to what I discovered about the mineral's properties and specificities, your theory was plausible. But now I need to correlate these results with _him_."

"And, what if we're right?" the older man asks, already knowing the answer.

Bruce looks back at the screen pensively, sighing. "Then it will be a losing battle against time for him... and for us."

* * *

Clark gazes at the dying sun disappearing slowly behind the western hills, bathing in the last timid rays of light. Seated on the wooden bench on the porch, he sighs, remembering how he used to sit here a long time ago helping Martha pealing potatoes or assisting with any number of other chores or just simply being with his dad, both reading books or chatting.

Today he just sat here after dinner to ease the soreness in his back and legs; what a curious twist of fate. Resting his head on the still warm wooden wall, he inhales deeply, looking up through the roof and the ethereal clouds at the landmass cruising silently again above his homeland. _How am I going to get out of this, this time?_

"Daydreaming again, big boy?" a soft voice startles him. Lee takes a few steps, wandering her hand over the wall and onto the bench to sit at his side.

He looks back at her, surprised. _How is it that I didn't hear her come outside?_ He then looks back at the land in front of him, slowly fading into purple and gray shades, the lack of sunlight stripping it of its warm colors. A slight shiver runs down his back; he already misses the sun, feeling the coldness of the evening falling down on him with the night like a deep blue veil over the fields.

Lee lowers her head, her tiny arm brushing his strong one. "Thank you for this wonderful afternoon, Clark. I wish time had stopped and that we could have that moment forever." She hears him sigh deeply and shift on the bench, making it creek slightly. Pinching her lips together, she waits for him to speak the words she doesn't want to hear.

"Lee..." he starts, turning to face her a little. His heart leaps at the sight of her tiny frame, her expression so soft, so sincere, so unsure right now. _She's so beautiful._ Today, when they were riding, he enjoyed every minute of it, her body against his giving him divine sensations, and after that, when they were in the field, he felt so good in her arms, so free and safe, finally. She reached his heart and soul today. No one was ever able to do that, not even Lois... _Lois... It was entirely my fault; I never let her in anyway..._ Tilting his head the side, he cracks a lopsided smile. _I__didn't let Lee in either... she just broke in on her own without my permission!! _Sighing, he looks at her intently, then his left hand comes to her cheek, forcing her gently to face him.

She closes her eyes, bracing herself. _He doesn't love me. He loves her. He's only being kind to me because I'm here, because I took care of him. We're just friends; I have to accept this idea. If I want to stay at his side, I have to accept it, dammit! _A sudden warm and moist contact on her lips stops her inner babbling right away.

Clark, giving in finally to his own heart, felt himself lower his head to her. Closing his eyes, he presses his lips softly against hers, holding her face gently in both hands. As chaste as his kiss is, his lips softly brushing the young woman's cool ones, he gives everything he has in it; everything he is. Leaving her lips just a little, he rests his forehead against hers, fighting the urge to kiss her more deeply. His own lips slightly parted, he mouths a few words silently, fighting his resolve to not give in now, losing himself in her warm breath, then finally whispers breathlessly, "Wait for me, Lee. Please... I beg you; don't give up on me whatever happens..."

She opens her eyes, letting the tears of relief fall down her cheeks. As he rubs them gently away with his thumbs, pulling away a little, her lips curl into a beautiful smile. "I'll never give up, Clark. I promise. I'll wait for you."

Feeling joy overwhelming him, he can't refrain a happy cry and kisses her forehead before pulling her close in a warm hug. He feels liberated, free. Warmth, if not physically, envelops his soul. Whatever may happen now, he's ready. _He's prepared._

The creaking sound of the kitchen door interrupts their moment. Ben shows up and looks in their direction. "Clark, a certain Bruce is on the phone for you."

Clark sighs and caresses Lee's wet cheek one last time. He then gets up and follows Ben inside, leaving her there. Shivering already from his missing warmth, she leans against the wall, needing a few minutes to process what just has happened. _I'll wait for you Clark, whatever it takes…_

Once inside, Clark lifts the receiver to his ear. "Hello?"

"Clark? It's Bruce. I need to see you as soon as possible. How quickly can you get here?"

Clark frowns, returning to reality despite his will. "I'll be there in a few minutes."

"Ok. Hey... Glad you're feeling better."

Clark wants to answer, but a click on the line indicates that his friend has already hung up. _And he says I'm the antisocial one..._ he snarls to himself.

* * *

A few moments later, Kal-El arrives at the Wayne's Mansion, having left the farm immediately after the call. He proposed to bring Lee back to her apartment, but she wanted to come back to Metropolis the way she left to avoid any suspicion. He had to admit she had a point again, and that thought made him smile. Coming to a halt, he dives quickly a few yards away from the property, into a nearby waterfall.

Still working on his console, Bruce hears the familiar quivering among the bats, signalling the presence of an intruder. "You're almost late. What took you so long? Kissing Mommy goodbye, or is it that lady friend of yours?"

Raising an eyebrow, Kal-El hovers down silently, his feet landing softly on the main platform. Trying to ignore the comment and most of all fighting the urge to ask his irritating friend how he knows about Lee, he walks slowly to the console and says, "Did you really need to see me, or was this just your way of spoiling my peaceful moments at home?"

Chuckling a little, Bruce finally turns and looks at him. "I may know the reason why you're not feeling well."

Kal-El's eyes widen. "You... Wait a minute... What makes you think that? I'm ok. I just needed some rest, that's all..." he starts, mechanically babbling to hide the truth.

The billionaire, annoyed by his silly behavior, asks him abruptly, "How are you feeling? I mean, right here and right now…?"

Frowning, the Kryptonian opens his mouth, but thinks a few seconds before answering. "Fine… Yes… fine. Better than the few last hours even… Wha -?" he starts but stops and follows the gaze of his friend who just turned his head up to the ceiling. He sees the bats first, then concentrates a little more, his vision diving deeper into the dark rock until… he sees nothing past it. _Lead! Of course, the walls of this cave are filled with lead_! Looking frantically back at the billionaire, who just typed a few keys on his console, bringing several views of New Krypton up on the big screen, Kal-El thinks fast. _The kryptonite from this hideous landmass…_

As if he could read his mind, Bruce says, "Yes. The amount of kryptonite in New Krypton is so massive that its radiation is reaching the surface of Earth. You can't escape it, and the repeated exposure seems to be affecting you in an exponential manner… In other terms…"

"It's killing me," the hero says simply, his expression calm and elusive.


	24. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23 : fatality**

"It's killing me." Superman says, his expression calm and elusive.

Bruce looks at his friend right in the eyes. "Yes."

Kal-El turns his back to him and takes a few steps across the platform. Hugging himself with both arms, he sighs. _Coldness_. He can feel the dank atmosphere of the cave through his suit. Although it's still a slight feeling, it's new, irrefutable proof that his metabolism is slowly deteriorating. "How much time?"

"I don't know. In order to find out, I'll need to run some tests on you," the billionaire answers, then adds, a crooked smile forming around one corner of his mouth, "But I doubt that you'll let me do them."

Superman turns back to him. "Some… tests?" he says, lifting an eyebrow.

"Yeah. I have a pretty good friend who would do it for us without asking any questions."

"A… good friend?"

"Oh, come on! Stop it, will you? Are you cooperating or not? If you're going to be able to do something about this landmass, I'd like to be able to know how much time we still have before you can't even jump higher than a flea."

Kal-El stares at him with wide eyes, and Bruce is unable to decipher what thoughts are crossing his alien friend's mind at that moment. _Fear, incredulity maybe…_ "Ok. What do you need?"

* * *

Scrutinizing the wall of screens displaying data and pictures of New Krypton in front of him, Luthor leans back comfortably into his big leather armchair. "You say that's all the data you could hijack from N.A.S.A.?" he says, absently rubbing the small wireless headphone clinging to his right ear.

"Yes. That's all they've got. It seems that the main information came from S.T.A.R. Labs." the voice in the headphone says.

"Then plug me into S.T.A.R. Labs right away. I want to see it for myself; I want to be sure," the bald maniac says harshly.

"That'll be risky. They could trace the signal back to us. Their security's been reinforced." The other man says coolly.

"Mr. Earle. If you still want our little deal to be profitable for both of us, I advise you to do as I ask," Luthor spits dryly.

A silence meets him, then he hears the other man sighing. "All right. Give me a few minutes."

"Fine." The brightness of his white teeth, revealed by a sudden wicked smile, contrast with the dimness of the room._ I want you on your knees before me, Superman, and I'll have you soon, but I won't allow any annoying piece of rock to get in my way._

* * *

The odd new feeling of coldness running over his bare skin annoys Kal-El. Seated across a metallic table, he looks sideways at the little chair where his folded cape and the blue top of his suit lay. He shifts uncomfortably, starting to think that this was a bad idea after all, his hands clamped on the edge of the table.

"Don't worry, Sir. It won't be long." Alfred's soft voice says behind him.

Kal-El tries a glimpse over his shoulder, peering at the old man putting on some surgical gloves. He hears the clinging noise of a tray with some instruments on it that he doesn't even want to see. Old, untamed childhood fears resurface, constricting his chest, making his breath uneasy. _Thanks, Dad, for letting me see E.T. when I was just a kid… _Closing his eyes, he tries to think of a happy thought. _A field… an endless grass covered field under the summer rays of sun… Yes, a beautiful field under a bright blue sky… and Lee's smiling face…_

"Hey, relax, buddy. You're gonna rip that table apart if you keep holding onto it like that." Bruce says from a corner of the platform, seeing his friend's hands gripping the metal a little too strongly. "Who would think that the most popular hero of this world would be such a coward in front of a little scalpel?" he says, laughing out loud.

Kal-El throws a dark glare at him. "Yeah… You try to endure surgery while the anaesthesia is totally ineffective on you and we'll talk about it again, ok?" he says harshly.

"Whoa… Ok, ok. I just wanted to try to cheer you up a little. See, I even let Alfred do the job for me." The billionaire adds, smirking.

"I know you would have taken wicked pleasure in doing it yourself." The Kryptonian says, finally joining his game, relaxing a little. "I'm not even sure, though, that you can get anything out of me. I'm still invulnerable as far as I know." He says, barely noticing the warm sensation of a magnifying glass on an arm lamp that Alfred just brought over his back.

"That's why we're trying it on your scar. You told us yourself a few moments ago that it hurt when your lady friend touched you there," Bruce, says, amused by the sudden shade of red on his friend's face. "It may be the only vulnerable part of you right now."

"Yes, maybe, but…hmff…" Kal-El muffles an upcoming cry, pinching his lips together. Without notice, Alfred has rapidly cleaned the area of his scar and just started to press on the sensitive skin with the scalpel. Retaining his breath, the hero tightens his grip on the table, moulding the metal beneath his fingers, blinding, searing pain washing over him. In an automatic defense, all his muscles tighten and his body is soon as hard as steel except for the small area of the wound where the greenish colored skin surrenders easily under the cold titanium blade of the little instrument, a few rare drops of dark blood starting to seep out of it.

Alfred works fast, feeling for the agony of the young hero, who tries his best to stay still during the ordeal, drawing repeated sharp breaths. He quickly retrieves enough tissue and blood for the tests that he puts into separate vials.

Bruce, seeing the pain deforming his friend's features, has come closer and looks at his butler with worried eyes. Placing a hand on Kal-El's right shoulder, he says softly, "It's almost done, Clark, hold on." But suddenly, he senses the Kryptonian's weight shift onto him, his whole body tilting forward numbly. "Wow! Alfred, help me!"

* * *

In the dim atmosphere of the laboratory, Emil Hamilton reads the last report for the umpteenth time. After a few more minutes trying to keep his focus on the last paragraph, he finally gives up, tossing the file onto the nearby desk. He leans back heavily on his swivel chair, rubbing his eyes under his glasses. Twenty, no… Thirty, maybe forty hours passed since he got more than a half an hour of sleep at a time, spending all his time between this lab, his office and the conference room.

He looks at the giant screen showing the live satellite view of New Krypton hovering away from Earth on its endless loop. _A little more than a month… There has to be a way to push that thing away for good or maybe avoid the explosion_, he thinks. He needs to see Superman, and fast. The hero has not been seen since yesterday evening and Batman never called him back after his alarmed call when they lost track of the falling hero somewhere above Kansas. And with the foolish move of his assistant, things won't be easy now. The poor man, in a panic, thought nothing better than to spread the information over the internet. _Foolish idiot…and he thinks I don't even know he did it…He should be fired. _The scientist rolls his eyes._ Well, at least, here, I can keep an eye on him._

A repeated beep on one of the consoles alerts him suddenly, diverting his thoughts. Making his chair roll in a swift move, he's rapidly onto it. Pushing on a few buttons, he frowns suddenly. Activating the intercom, he says, "Jim? Hamilton here. I have an alert message on screen, here in Lab 5. Do you see it?"

A few seconds pass until a voice echoes through the intercom. "Yes, Professor. I got it. Someone is trying to break through the network. I put Andy on it right away."

"Thanks." Hamilton says, ending the conversation. _Great, now we're hacked. I shouldn't be surprised, though, with all the fuss this idiot triggered,_ he thinks to himself, glaring sideways at his assistant, who is haunched over his desk, looking pitiful.

* * *

_… A bright blue sky… It's a marvellous, sunny day… Laying on the soft grass, he looks upward at the fluffy clouds drifting over him, their shapes talking to his imagination. The friendly, warm rays of the sun hit his skin, making him sigh from delight. It feels so good… __**kryptonite**__… He frowns… __**the results just confirmed… **__This voice echoing not far away… __**radiation is affecting him exponentially… **__Annoyed, he tries to sit back up but finds that he's unable to do so, his body numb and not responding…__** Hold on a minute… I think he's finally waking up…**_

Kal-El opens his eyes. A bright white light blinding him from above, he mechanically holds his right hand in front of his eyes until they can adjust to its intensity._ A full spectrum lamp… _His eyes widen suddenly. _Wait! The batcave… How long did I…? _He sits up frantically, knocking the lamp above him in the process, making it fall and shatter soundly on the floor at his side.

"Hey! Do you know how much this thing cost?! You ungrateful, clumsy brat!!" Bruce's voice rings out from behind him.

Turning his head, Kal-El brushes his tossed hair with his hand and looks around, trying to put his fuzzy thoughts to order. "What happened?"

"You passed out," the billionaire says while taking a little earphone off of his ear, his voice now soft and serious.

"How long?"

"You were out a little more than two hours." Seeing his alien's friend anxious look, Bruce rapidly adds, "Don't worry, nothing bad happened to the world while you were in dreamland; nothing that required your attention anyway."

Barely relieved, the hero looks around him and realizes that he's on a camp bed, his friend seated at his side on a stool. Lifting an eyebrow, he says, "You… watched over me?"

"Hmf… Don't kid yourself. It was just scientific interest."

The Kryptonian sniggers slightly. "Yeah, more like morbid interest."

With an outraged look, Bruce retrieves the hero's cape and top and throws them in his face. "Here, instead of babbling, put your clothes back on and follow me; I want you to meet a friend." He then heads to his main platform supporting the giant console.

"A friend?" Kal-El says while slipping his suit top on quickly and following him.

Bruce sits back on his leather armchair, savoring its improved comfort over the little stool he's been sitting on for the last two hours. As his friend approaches, he pushes a button. "Lucius? Are you still there?"

An image flickers and the face of an old, Afro-American man appears in a window on the main screen. Smiling gently, the man says, "Yes, Bruce. I'm here. Ah, I see that your 'special' friend is awake."

Seeing that Kal-El, backing off into his usual cautious self, is glaring at him, Bruce winks at him then turns back to the image of the man. "Lucius, let me introduce you to Superman. Superman, this is Lucius Fox, a_ very_ good friend." he says, looking back at Kal-El straight in the eyes to emphasize on the word 'friend'.

The hero finally understands his deep meaning and relaxes._ If Bruce himself trusts him, I guess that I can trust him too. _He nods politely at the man on the screen.

"I sent Alfred to meet Lucius with the samples and he just called me back with the results," Bruce says, now serious and direct. As Kal-El comes closer to the console, his attention full, he continues, "We also gave Lucius most of the details of your healthy metabolism… Well, at least all those you dared to give to S.T.A.R. Labs a long time ago…" Ignoring the now offended look on his friend, he adds, "Lucius, can you repeat what you told me to Superman?"

"Sure, Bruce. Superman, how much do you know about kryptonite?"

The Kryptonian thinks a little before answering, "Not much, unfortunately. All I know about the mineral is that it was created when my home world, Krypton, was destroyed by our red sun, which went nova. The crystals on my planet were highly irradiated during the explosion and spread into deep space. Some of them ended up on Earth. I had to learn about its effects at my expense."

Lucius nods thoughtfully. "Well, from what I saw, your metabolism is deteriorating in an exponential manner due to your repeated exposure to the radiation from the high amount of kryptonite in New Krypton. But I don't think it started with that. The illness's origin must have occurred much earlier by the look at the extent of the already deteriorated tissues." he says, the kind and friendly smile never leaving his face.

Chewing his inner cheek nervously, Kal-El listens to him attentively. "Krypton… I guess that has to be where I started getting sick. I came across an awfully large amount of pure kryptonite still floating there in the planet's remains, and almost died from exposure to it. I was able to get my ship out of it to return to Earth and went back into stasis, but I guess the poisoning effect was still eating me during the trip back," he says thoughtfully.

"Yeah, a little like when you put a piece of slightly rotting meat in your freezer: it keeps decomposing, but slower," Bruce adds. As the Kryptonian shoots him another outraged glare, he says innocently, "What?"

Deciding to ignore the dorky comment, Kal-El asks Lucius, "Mister Fox, what should I expect next?"

Lucius sighs, his eyes showing regret and empathy for the hero, "From what I can see, your body acts a little like a solar battery. As time goes by and as you have to endure this insidious kryptonite exposure, this battery will be harder to recharge and it will keep its charge over smaller and smaller amounts of time until you're not able to recharge any more. Your body temperature, which is a good indicator of your charge amount, has already decreased about three degrees from what I see here; it will keep decreasing exponentially too."

"… and will affect my powers."

"Your powers?! Geez! He's talking about your vitals, Superman! The hell with your powers! It's your life that's in the balance here!" Bruce bursts out suddenly, startling his friend.

"But my vitals won't do much about the threat of New Krypton! I won't get rid of it with my body temperature, will I?" Kal-El replies harshly.

"You can't even get close to it!"

"I have to try."

"And what, then?" the billionaire says, returning to his cynical self. "You'll end up squashed like a mosquito on a windshield," he grumbles.

Unable to be angry at his friend any more, Kal-El smiles sadly at him. "But I don't think that we have much of a choice. No human technology is able to push that huge mass out of orbit, and if we let it explode, more than half of the planet will be devastated." Turning back to the screen, he asks Fox, his voice calm and low, "How much time do you estimate I have left, Mister fox?"

The man on the screen sighs. "Today you passed out. It will happen again. You will decay rapidly. A week or two... maybe more if you stay away from the radiation long enough and don't over-use yourself. I can't say more as your biology is so different from ours; it would require weeks or even months to study it and be able to help you."

Kal-El looks at him, smiling back softly. "I know. Thank you Mister Fox."

A muffled melody rings out. The billionaire, annoyed, rummages in his pocket, retrieving a small cellphone. He frowns at the caller ID. "Hello?... Yes, he's still here. Wait a minute." He hands the phone to a surprised Superman.

The harried man brings it to his ear. "Yes?"

"Clark! It's Lee."

Blushing suddenly like crazy, Kal-El walks away a little to isolate himself from Fox and Bruce. His voice low, he says, "Lee? What... Why are you calling me here? Who gave you this number?"

"Martha did... Listen, Clark. There's an absolutely important thing that I forgot to tell you. Clark, the guys who kidnapped us, they took Jason's blood."

"What!?" he says, unable to control the high pitch of his voice.

"They took his blood on the plane and escaped with it. Jason doesn't know it since he was still unconscious when they did it. I heard it all," the young woman says frantically.

Incredulous, Kal-El runs his hand nervously through his raven hair. "But... Why didn't you tell me this afternoon? ... or this evening?"

A moment passes until Lee finally answers, "I... you were so lost and tired today... I thought that you needed to rest a little. Then, after our... little conversation... you left so quickly and... well, I forgot. I'm so sorry, Clark."

Anger slowly seizing him, Kal-El inhales deeply to keep control of himself. _This maniac took my son's blood... _"Lee, it's ok. Don't worry. You were right to warn me. Who knows about it apart from you?"

"Lois does. I told her, too."

"Fine. Thank you. See you later, ok?" he says, his voice soft and gentle.

"Ok. Clark... be careful," the woman adds softly, a slight tremor in her voice.

Sighing, he replies, "I will," then hangs up the phone. Turning to Bruce, who was scrutinizing him from his console, he tosses his phone at him and immediately starts to hover away. "I have to go." Stopping in mid air, he looks back at his friend with a soft smile on his face. "Thank you."

The billionaire, half pouting on his armchair, stares back at him with dark eyes. "And what now?"

"Do what you does best: find me the bad guy who's threatening my son, and I'll take care of the rest," he winks at him, them flies away, disappearing into the waterfall.

* * *

Still sitting in the dimness of his control room, Luthor scans the different screens with great interest. What Earle sent him now is much more valuable than the slim amount of data from N.A.S.A. He has now everything in hand, from the density of the landmass, its size, speed, revolution sequence, everything down to its composition, and most of all the different equations that led to the countdown result.

Looking back and forth at some of the calculations, his face slowly darkens. "What the…" he says, lifting an eyebrow. Frantically, he starts to type on a keyboard. _They couldn't possibly have been mistaken about that!!..._

* * *

_Ding dong._

Richard leaves the kitchen and crosses the living-room, a doughnut in his mouth, rubbing his hands with a towel. He just came back from work with Jason and they're having a special kid-friendly dinner for the occasion, with Lois still out on an interview for tomorrow's headlines. _Who can that be at this hour?_ Just in case, he grabs his baseball bat in the nearby closet and opens the door carefully, leaving the chain on.

"Hi," Kal-El says, gratifying him with a shy smile. His eyes fall on the baseball bat instantly and he lifts an eyebrow.

The half eaten doughnut falls numbly on the floor as Richard looks wide eyed at the tall hero in front of him. They stay like this for a few uneasy, silent seconds until Kal-El, shifting slightly on his feet, coughs and says, "Err... Can I come in?"

Snapping out of his paralyzed state, Richard blinks a few times and says finally, "Oh... of course... Yes. Come in, please." He quickly unlocks the door completely and motions the other man to enter.

Nodding politely, Kal-El steps in, carefully avoiding the doughnut still on the floor. Grabbing it frantically, the assistant editor invites him clumsily to cross the vestibule and head for the living-room. "You know... Lois isn't here right now," he says, detailing the tall hero from behind as he walks slowly to the door, his long cape floating gracefully with each one of his steps.

"I know," Kal-El says simply, startling the other man. "I didn't come to see Lois. I came to see Jason... and you." he adds, looking him right in the eye.

"Jason and... me?" Richard repeats blankly, more and more intrigued, the doughnut in one hand and the baseball bat in the other.

Kal-El, quite amused at the scene, opens his mouth to answer, but frowns suddenly, turning his head in the direction of the living-room, his eyes staring at the door, _or is it through the door?_ Richard thinks. Sighing heavily, the hero says, "It seems that Jason isn't really eager to see me..."

At that moment, Richard hears the kitchen door, leading out to the patio, open and shut soundly. "Jason?!" he calls out, bursting into the living-room and crossing it rapidly to get to the kitchen. Seeing that his son is indeed not in the room any more, he runs faster and reaches the door leading outside, soon followed by Superman. "Jason!!" He tries to peer at the garden through the dim light but sees nothing. _Damn! I manage to lose my son right here at home and just in front of him._ He's about to go back inside to switch on more lights when a strong hand on his shoulder stops him.

"There..." Kal-El says softly, nodding in the direction of the seaplane.  
As Richard squints his eyes, he sees the side door of the plane open slightly.

* * *

A soft knock comes muffled through the door. Jason, cuddled up on the rear bench of the plane, looks at the door a moment, then sighs finally. "Ok, you can come in." The door lifts softly, revealing the broad shadow of the mighty hero.

Kal-El peers inside and smiles gently. "Hi, Jason." Seeing that the boy lowers his head, looking away, he sighs and nods back at Richard who stayed a few feet behind. He then lifts himself effortlessly into the cabin and sits at Jason's side on the rear bench, making the plane rock slightly on the water under his weight. Looking away from the boy a moment, he wanders his eyes through the small cabin, memories coming back to him, _painful ones…_

After a moment of heavy silence, Jason shifts on the bench, starting to feel the coldness of the autumn evening. Kal-El notices this instantly and drapes his long cape over his tiny shoulders, pulling him closer with his strong arm.The boy, feeling the warmth enveloping him, snuggles to the hero and looks up at him. His expression sad, he says finally, "Do you still hate me?"

Kal-El looks back at him with wide eyes. "No! Of course not! What makes you think that?"

"You were very angry at me at the hospital because I killed the bad man." The young boy lowers his voice, "…and Daddy hates me now, too…" The last words are spoken with a quivering voice.

Feeling the knot in his throat growing, Kal-El immediately hugs his son tighter, brushing his soft hair with his right hand. "Jason! Oh, no… Nobody is angry at you. Your Dad and I both love you with all our hearts, son."  
Fighting a bitter wave of guilt, he adds, forcing the boy to look up at him, "Jason, listen to me carefully. The other day, I was just… shocked, because I felt that I should have been there to protect you, and to help you learn how to use your strength. It's not easy to do that by yourself, believe me." Seeing a little smile forming on the little boy's lips, he continues, "You have a gift, and it means a great responsibility, but you'll never be alone and you'll always have people to help you and be there for you."

"Will you be there for me?"

The hero's expression darkens slightly. Averting his eyes, he sighs then looks back at his son, smiling tenderly at him. "I may not be… always around, son, but you have your Daddy and Mommy, like I had mine to help me grow up into the man I am now."

Outside, Richard, leaning against the seaplane's side, is listening silently at the father-son exchange. After hearing Superman's last words, he closes his eyes from relief, although he's quite ashamed by his own selfish feeling. _He doesn't want to take my place, to take my son… _Lost in his deep thoughts, he doesn't realize that the two have stopped talking and are now both smiling at him from the doorway of the plane, their expressions alike. As Kal-El gracefully hovers down from the plane, Richard tries to compose himself, straightening up.

"Jason, why don't you go inside now? I need to talk to your daddy," Superman says while putting him down on the concrete dock. The young boy nods and starts to run toward the house, but stops after a few steps, runs back to the hero and hugs his legs tight before zooming to the house.  
When he has totally disappeared behind the door, Richard turns to face the hero, but he's taken aback by his somber expression. Realizing suddenly the real meaning of Superman's last words to Jason, he says, "Is it that bad?"

Kal-El's gaze focuses back on the other man. "Jason is not safe here and neither are you."

"I don't think we're safe anywhere on Earth at this point."

"I'm not talking about the landmass threat. I'm talking about Luthor. He knows Jason's my son and he'll try to make a move soon; I'm pretty sure of that."

Richard nods thoughtfully.

"They took some samples of Jason's blood while they had him. That's what they were searching for initially."

"What!?" Richard says, dumbstruck.

"Yes, your colleague, Miss Rogers heard them do that and told Lois about it."

"Lois?... but why didn't she tell _me_?!" Richard starts, anger growing in him.

"Richard, I think that with all that's happened recently, Lois must be kind of… confused and scared. She's just trying to protect Jason," Superman says softly.

The assistant editor looks up at him, a pang of jealousy seizing him. What ever he does, he can't compete with _him_. Superman knows exactly how Lois functions and she trusts him more than her own fiancé. But at the same time, he can hardly be angry at her for doing so; who wouldn't feel safe with this man around?

"I have no idea why they wanted Jason's blood, but I'm pretty sure that Luthor wants to find a way to use it against me. There's a possibility that they won't try to get to Jason again now that they have it, but I don't want to take any chance with that. You're all in danger now because of me, and I'll be pretty busy with the landmass over the next few days," Kal-El says, pacing the dock in front of Richard.

The young man looks at the hero walking slowly. Assuming that he's right, he has no idea where they could hide Jason. If even Superman himself is unable to keep an eye over his son, then who could do it? "What can I do… to help?"

Kal-El smiles softly, "Be there for _our_ son... always." Throwing a last tender look in the direction of the house, he adds, "I may have an idea of a hideout for Jason. I'll get back to you." He then flies rapidly up and away.


	25. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24: Miscalculation**

With his cape floating lazily high behind his back and his body suspended in the calm stillness of the lower stratosphere, Kal-El bathes in the unfiltered sun rays. He hovers high above Japan, where he was forced to retreat a few moments ago to escape the now obvious deadly influence of New Krypton. He doesn't know whether it was his newfound awareness of the origin of his illness or simply because it had intensified to a new level, but as soon as he left the protecting lead shelter of the Batcave, his body became sore again and unforgiving tiredness seized him. After his visit to Richard and Jason, he went back to Gotham in a futile attempt to track Luthor or find any clue to lead him to the man, but Kal-El knows Luthor isn't stupid, and had to accept the fact that simply flying aimlessly above the city would lead him nowhere, assuming the maniac was even there anyway.

Sighing, he closes his eyes, letting the sounds of the world come to him as he lets his starving solar cells engorge themselves with the welcoming photons. Ignoring the now continuous throbbing pain of his scar, he tries to evaluate the situation. New Krypton is going to explode and now the whole world is aware of it. Superman has not been seen publicly since the explosions in Metropolis, and it's time for him to make a statement about it all to try and limit the forthcoming wave of panic. But first of all, he needs to see Hamilton and check the data S.T.A.R. Labs has on the landmass again. Time is precious, and he'll have to rely on Bruce to find Luthor while he tries to take care of the threat to the world.

Among the various sounds filtered by his special hearing, he suddenly picks up a radio report coming from Sweden. An oil tanker just hit another boat not far from Stockholm. Careful to avoid the area of the planet still exposed to the landmass, he heads north, soon nothing more than a blue and red blur above a sea of clouds.

* * *

Searching for her keys in her purse, Lee leans tiredly against the door of her apartment. The night spent on the plane back to Metropolis has left her with a sore back and a glorious headache. She really should have accepted Clark's offer... _No. It's better this way, _she thinks while opening the door. It's seven am already and as the town is awakening, she feels the wicked desire to let herself dive into her bed and sleep until at least this afternoon. Her whole life has been turned upside down in just three days, and now the rest of the world is about to tumble down, too... _Just a few hours to escape reality... that's all I need._

She freezes suddenly. The cold breeze of the early morning and the sounds of the street are coming from an opened window... she hears a rhythmic respiration... Someone is here in her apartment! Backing off instinctively as panic just starts to quicken her heartbeat, she puts her hand on the door, ready to run out... but she stops, cracking a sudden smile. The window opened, this scent in the living-room, this characteristic deep breathing... She walks to the couch, careful to not make any noise. Kneeling beside _him_, she gently runs her left hand over the thick, unusual fabric covering a strong hip, following the curve of his side up to his broad shoulder. Her fingers meet soft hair and the silk softness of the skin of his cheek. Blushing suddenly at the warm contact, she holds out her hand, sighing. Wandering her hands over the nearby armchair, she retrieves a blanket that she lays over the sleeping figure, remembering Martha's recommendations on how her son needs to have his temperature kept high as much as possible. She's ready to go to her bedroom, fighting her will to just stay here with him, when she hears him stir and moan.

Clark wakes up slowly. His eyes still closed, he tries to cling to unconsciousness, not that it was a peaceful sleep: visions of New Krypton just above him, choking and crushing him, and Luthor appearing from nowhere, laughing at him... Jason crying, calling for help, and a desperate apocalyptic land with no life left on it, leaving him alone and unable to breathe the air, his feet stuck to the ground. Despite of that, a part of him doesn't want to wake up, all too aware of what the new day holds for him. Groaning, he grabs his cape instinctively to wrap it more closely to his body.

"Hello, Sleeping Beauty," he hears.

Startled, he opens his tired eyes slightly, the blurry vision of the young woman clearing slowly. "L-Lee?" he mumbles, raising up to a sitting position. How on Earth does she manage to catch him off guard each time like this? Scratching his head groggily, he says, more sternly than he would have liked, "What are you doing here?"

Raising an eyebrow at the odd question, she says, "Clark, I live there."

At the sudden realization that he's not in his own apartment but two stairs below, and that he has spent the last part of the night sprawled on her couch, he blushes suddenly. "Oh God! I was so tired... I... mistook your apartment for mine." Looking at his slightly dirtied suit, he adds, quite ashamed, "I guess I fell asleep before I could take the time to change into my ordinary clothes, and... Well, I don't even remember laying on this couch..." He sees her smile softly and it warms his heart.

Her eyebrow still raised, she says, "Hm-hmm. How convenient... At least it's not _your_ couch that smells like oil and fish now..."

"Ah... Sorry..." he starts, blushing hard, but as he sees the lopsided grin growing on her lips, he relaxes and laughs softly. _Geez, she's right; I _do_ smell awful. _Although his aura has protected him from being soaked by the oil floating on the sea, his suit still caught that unpleasant scent, just slightly. Embarrassed, he decides to change the subject. "Back from the farm already?"

"Yes, Ben drove me to Wichita as soon as you left. With... what I told you on the phone... well, I thought that maybe I could be more useful here..." she says, barely hiding her own blush. Still kneeling beside him, she takes his hands. "Are you ok? How was your night?"

Sorrow clouding his eyes, he sighs. "I'm fine..."

Lee frowns. She tugs at one edge of his cape and says, "I thought that Superman never lied."

Looking away, Clark runs his hand nervously through his hair, not knowing what to say. _Superman never lies... that's a lie in itself! His entire life has been a huge lie... _"I... I'm as fine as I can possibly be right now." he says, trying to be as honest as he can.

Sighing, she stands up and comes to sit just beside him on the couch, so close that her shoulder and thigh touch his own. "I'm scared, Clark."

Clark immediately wraps his arm around her frail shoulders, pulling her close. "Everything will be ok. You'll see. I'll take care of this mess. I promise that to you." his deep, warm voice resonates in her ear.

She leans her head on his shoulder, welcoming his enveloping warmth, letting his broad hand massage her arm ever so gently. She wants to believe him. At that moment, she knows deep inside her that he's telling the truth. She snuggles a little closer to his neck, just savoring the moment.

"You must be exhausted." he whispers, smelling the fresh perfume of her shampoo. "Here, close your eyes and try to rest." She complies without hesitation, his warmth and voice soothing her. She's soon sound asleep in his arms. Careful not to wake her up, he lifts her in his powerful arms and takes her to her bedroom. A few minutes later, he zooms away from her balcony.

* * *

Emil Hamilton paces the floor of his lab nervously, since his secretary informed him that Superman has just arrived and is on his way here. The last time he saw him, the hero was zooming madly toward the landmass, giving him the fright of his life as he was sure that no one would never see Superman again.

"Professor," the hero's familiar, deep voice makes him turn around.

Reassured, he sees the tall figure appearing through the door. Scrutinizing him, he sees resolution, confidence, maybe a glimpse of tiredness too. "Superman! You're finally here!!" he says, shaking his hand enthusiastically. "You know that you scared us to death the other day?"

"I'm sorry, Professor. I guess I reacted a little too quickly. At least now I know that I can't approach that thing so easily," Kal-El says, already walking to the computers. "We have a lot work ahead of us if we want to find a way to stop this thing. May I check all the data again?"

"Sure! Help yourself. We're connected to the N.A.S.A. Network and trying to share as much data as we can. We've already launched a process to calculate the right time and degree of thrust needed to tear that thing out of its orbit... A crisis unit has been set up at the Pentagon to study every possible scenario." the scientist says as the hero sits at one of the positions in front of the giant screen.

"Why did you alert the world so quickly about the threat? I thought you believed that we should wait in order to avoid panic," Kal-El says, starting to type on the keypad before him.

Hamilton looks at the vacant chair of his assistant, who he sent to sleep a few moments ago. "I didn't want to alert anyone until we have had a chance to discuss a solution further, but I think that when you disappeared, my assistant panicked and found a way to spread the info on the Internet. I'm sorry."

Kal-El sighs. "I'm the one to be sorry. My reaction was childish." His typing is speeding up, leading him from screen to screen, unrolling lines of mathematical data one after another at an impossible rate. He stops suddenly, scrolling up and down a few times, his eyes growing wide. Grabbing a notepad and a pen that were laying on the desk behind him, he starts to write frantically on it while he's still navigating through the screens before him. Hamilton watches, dumbfounded, as the information is displayed faster and faster until it reaches the screens' refresh limitations and the hand of the hero is just a blur on the paper, which seems to fill itself magically with calculations and equations.

After a moment and at least a dozen pages written, Superman stops suddenly, his eyes fixed on the number he just encircled. Frowning, he whispers, "Oh God..."

"Something wrong?" the scientist says, leaning over his shoulder.

Kal-El's eyes darken suddenly. "There was an error in your results: the landmass won't explode in a month... it will explode in exactly six days and fifteen hours," he says, his deep voice cracking ever so slightly.

* * *

Finishing his tenth cup of espresso in a single gulp, Luthor dives back onto his keyboard, his growing beard contrasting with his bald head, giving him a frightening expression. After the entirety of the previous night spent trying to redo the calculations he have had hijacked from S.T.A.R. Labs, he finally found the error that had bugged him last evening. Leaning back into his leather armchair, he stares motionless at the number flashing on the screen: 9540... 9540 minutes. Hitting another button, the translation into days appears before him: six days and fifteen hours. Barely a week!!

Out of rage, he throws his last cup of coffee at the screen, shattering it.


	26. Chapter 25

**EDIT 07/07/2007: This chapter has been corrected as the last part was missing!! **

**Chapter 25 : Time flies...**

"It's impossible!! We've run the calculations through the computers numerous times!!" Hamilton says, pacing the floor frantically behind Superman. "You gave us the right parameters yourself!"

With a surprising calm, the Kryptonian clicks a few times between the different screens until he reaches a certain sequence in the calculations. "Here. This equation is incorrect. That's not exactly the one I gave you. This sequence should come just after this one."

"Oh My..." Hamilton sits down heavily on the nearby chair. "Are you really sure of your calculation?" he asks, denying the obvious.

"I'm positive of it." Kal-El says simply, chewing the inside of his cheek nervously. This time he won't give in to panic, he can't allow it. He needs to keep his mind clear, and fear has never been a good ally to anyone, not even him. Focused on processing the new information, he thinks fast: he now needs to recalculate the exact position of the landmass the moment it's due to explode.

Letting the scientist absorb the unforgiving reality of this unexpected turn of events, the hero starts to re-program the computers one by one. _So much to do, so little time left... _and a massive problem: his obvious inability to approach the landmass. With the throbbing pain in the area of his scar intensifying again, he realizes that the deadly rock must be in range again to sweep him along a little further into his grave. His fingers dancing on the keyboard before him, the screens display pages of calculation at an impossible rate that only his special eyes have no problem following. After just a few seconds the verdict is rendered. "The landmass will explode just here, right above the Northern icecap," he says, pointing at the screen showing the 2D representation of the landmass above Earth.

Hamilton rolls his swivel chair next to Superman and looks closely at the screen. "It's slightly higher than the first result we had," he says, hope in his voice.

"Yes but it's also where our magnetic field is its weakest and most vulnerable. It won't be able to fully protect us from the radiation... As it presents itself now, the blast will melt the icecap entirely, resulting on a massive flood, and the shock waves will still be dramatic for most of the upper hemisphere," Kal-El adds, his voice even and low.

The scientist looks at Superman's face. His expression is serious and his eyes are impossibly dark, betraying the turmoil of his thoughts. Looking back at the screen, Hamilton says, "There's no way we can possibly move the people from United States, Europe and Russia to safety in just six days; it would require months."

"We'll have to push that thing away or stop it from exploding," the hero finally says, straightening up. Looking at the other man straight in the eye, he adds, "Those are the only two options we have."

"Stop it from going off? How?"

"Luthor has _something_ that belongs to me. Something that could help me find a way to maybe neutralize the landmass's countdown. If I can find Luthor soon enough, we'll have a chance to stop this."

The old man scratches his head. "Luthor? Do you think he's still alive?"

Sighing, Kal-El looks at the screen, the drawings of the landmass reminding him of those painful and humiliating moments. "I have no doubt he's still out there somewhere..." He turns back to Hamilton and adds, his expression darker than ever, "Professor... There's no way I can approach that landmass on my own anymore; the amount of kryptonite on it is too immense and..."

"…And what if we have a way to escort you there and shield you from its radiation?" a familiar voice resonates from behind them.

Kal-El, startled, turns around to see, abashed, Bruce Wayne entering the lab with the man he recognizes as being Fox. At his utter surprise, Hamilton walks to the billionaire and shakes his hand enthusiastically. "Mister Wayne! Thank you for coming so fast! Mister Wayne, let me introduce you to Superman. Superman, this is Bruce Wayne from Wayne Enterprises."

* * *

As the plume of steam rising from her cup of coffee dances before her eyes, Lois sits forward in her desk chair, seemingly hypnotized. The last three days have been grueling with the lack of sleep and the unexpected announcement of New Krypton's imminent explosion added to her own personal fears concerning the reappearance of Luthor, or at least the assumption he might have been behind her son's kidnapping. And above all that there's Clark... She absently looks across the center aisle at the reporter's empty desk. The more time passes, the more she doubts what she recently discovered. _It's impossible, he can't be…_ Closing her eyes, she tries to remember their moment in the elevator. _Maybe I was wrong, maybe I misinterpreted things... He can't really be..._

"Lois," a rough voice rings out behind her back, startling her. Perry is standing there, his own personalized "Chief" mug in hand.

Turning to face him, she rubs her temples and leans tiredly back into her swivel chair. "Hi Perry." When he just lifts an eyebrow as his only response, she sighs. "I know it's already nine thirty am and that I missed the briefing, but I may have something big with New Krypton for the evening headlines, Chief... And Superman is back in town..."

The old man's eyes widen. "You've seen him?"

"No... Richard did," she says, barely hiding her irritation.

"Richard?"

Yes, Superman... Well never mind..." she adds, not really eager to tell her boss that Superman visited her fiancé and her son at home last evening, and especially when she was _not_ there. When she came back late and Richard told her about that, she was barely able to hide her frustration and anger. And why, oh why did this _super-idiot_ have to tell Richard that the kidnappers took samples of Jason's blood. Like the poor man hadn't had enough lately with the realization that his own son wasn't _his _son but half alien. Lost in thoughts she doesn't pay attention to the subtle change in Perry's expression and the slight smile forming on his lips.

"Well, then I want the exclusive on Superman's first statement about the turn of events. Am I understood?"

Lois eyes widen. "Chief! It's not just because he's been seen in town that..."

But Perry is already heading to his office, turning his back to her. "I want your article about New Krypton in ten minutes on my desk!" he barks before shutting his door soundly.

Lois is about to chase him when her phone rings on her desk. She picks it up nervously. "Yes... Oh, hello, Inspector Sanders..."

* * *

"Superman! What a pleasure to finally meet you in person!!" Bruce Wayne says enthusiastically, a big grin on his face. Before the hero can recompose himself, the billionaire is already on him, taking his hand and shaking it enthusiastically. 

"Mister Wayne is an important financial backer to S.T.A.R. Labs. When he was alerted about the New Krypton threat, he pledged the help of his research department at Wayne Enterprises to find a solution to the problem." Hamilton says, taking Superman's sudden reserve as natural caution. "And this is Lucius Fox, Wayne Enterprises CEO and an expert in biology and military technology."

Kal-El, finally joining Bruce's game, nods politely at the ever smiling man. "Mister Wayne, Mister Fox." Turning to Hamilton, he asks, "Professor, may I speak to Mister Wayne alone for a moment, please?"

The scientist complies without any hesitation. "Of course, Superman. I'll be with Mister Fox in the other room." He then disappears behind the door, followed by Lucius, who winks at the two other men on his way out.

When they're gone, Kal-El takes a rapid look around the room, careful to inspect every corner for any recording devices or cameras.

"This room is camera free, don't worry, I've already checked. We can talk freely," the billionaire says knowingly, his voice low and deep.

Superman glares at him a moment before speaking, "The landmass will go off in six days and a few hours... but you already know that don't you?"

It's Bruce's turn to be surprised. "Wh-what?"

Before he can say more, Kal-El reaches under his cape, retrieves a minuscule device, and hands it to him. "Here, I think this belongs to you," he says with an unreadable expression.

Caught in the act, Bruce lets the mask fall, taking the little tracking-microphone and rapidly putting it into his pocket. Sighing, he looks at the Kryptonian intently. "How long have you been aware of it?"

The taller man smiles finally, his face relaxing a little. "Since you handed me back my cape in the cave last night."

"But... why? Why didn't you just get rid of it or... I don't know… punch me in the face for bugging you?"

Kal-El laughs slightly at that. "Well, I... Aaahhh..." A striking shot of pain suddenly runs along his spine. His knees buckling, he's forced to lean on his friend for support.

"Whoa, hold on, man. Here, sit down," Bruce says while guiding the hero to the nearby swivel chair.

Superman slumps heavily into the chair, making it creak a little under his weight. Closing his eyes, he draws deep, long breaths to ease the agony in his back, trying to forget the worried eyes of his friend on him. Anger and frustration feel him.

Bruce takes another chair and sits just in front of him, ready to be there if the hero happens to faint again like last night. Kal-El's face is deadly pale but this time he seems to be controlling the pain. Soon his breaths return to normal and he regains some of his color. Opening his eyes, his pupils now just a pale shade of blue, he smiles faintly at the billionaire. "Your solution had better be good..." he says in a whisper, saving his strength to recover before Hamilton comes back.

* * *

Dr Shaffer, busy reading the results of the last tests he made on the operating system in the pit of the jet, doesn't see Luthor approaching on the catwalk. Since the maniac asked him to speed up the process, he hasn't sleep at all and it's starting to show, making his thoughts fuzzy and his ability to correlate his calculations difficult. Why did Luthor ask him to rush things anyway? While working in this complex, they're all completely and literally isolated from the world, and who knows what's happening up there. If not for the clocks, the scientist wouldn't even know if it was night or day at this point. 

"Dr Shaffer!" the bald man snaps behind him, making him almost lose his grip on his laptop. Turning to face him, the scientist realizes that something is wrong with Luthor; a growing beard covers his chin and his usual cynical smile is gone, replaced by a seriousness that foreshadows nothing good. "We have a slight change in our schedule, Doctor. How much of this can be operational in five days?"

Shaffer's face turns pale. "F-five days?"

"Yes, five days," the bald man says, scrutinizing the maze of cables and high-tech devices hanging from his beauty's belly.

The scientist looks at him, dumbfounded, then realizes that he'd better answer quickly. Looking back at his laptop, he types a few commands and reads the results thoughtfully. "Err... we can have the weaponry system operational at thirty seven percent using all the kryptonite you already have in hand, but it won't be sufficient for the propulsion; we'll have to modify it to accept nuclear power until we're able to get more kryptonite. The navigating system will be half complete, but put together enough to carry out most of its functions. The main problem will be the artificial brain; if we all work night and day on it, we can have it mostly connected, though it will still be nonoperational until we can transfer your data onto it, and that will require a lot more time than just five days.

Luthor lifts an eyebrow at that. He looks at the giant jet thoughtfully. "And what about the defense system? Will it be functional? Able to withstand any kind of aggression like missiles, explosions, nuclear blasts, even?" he asks innocently.

More and more afraid of what is implied behind this, Shaffer gulps painfully. "You… you mean… as in a… nuclear war…?"

"How operational is its force field?" the bald man reformulates, his voice more threatening now.

Deciding that asking questions is not the cleverest way to stay alive in front of this man, the scientist dips his nose back to his laptop to get the needed information. "Err… The system will be fully operational in two days. It will be able to absorb any shock or collision and deflect any kind of beam or radiation, even solar winds." Pride starting to overcome fear, the dark haired man adds, patting the side of the giant jet, "This baby will be able to resist anything and will render its occupants virtually invulnerable."

Satisfied by this answer, Lex gazes at the machine one more time, his inner doubts starting to slowly evaporate. "What do you need to make it reach New Krypton and be able to retrieve something for me up there in exactly five days?"

Sweating profusely, Shaffer tries to think fast. "Err, nuclear propulsion may not be enough... We would need to use the kryptonite instead, but as we don't have much in hand, it we'll have to draw power from the weaponry system. That would at least give us enough power to reach New Krypton's orbit and land on it."

A wicked smile forming on his lips, Luthor says, "Then you do that. Kryptonite weapons won't be necessary in a few days."

Shaffer looks at him, fear in his eyes. "But, Superman..."

Marking his words, the bald man repeats, "I said that Kryptonite weapons won't be necessary." Shrugging the argument away, he continues, "What else do you need?"

The scientist types another command into his laptop. "Err... Ok. We can program the AI brain to follow direct orders from here; we'll then be able to guide the jet manually. But it will require modifications in the operating system and some more devices that..."

"You'll have them. Just make me a list." Without another word, Luthor walks away, leaving the scientist slumping on his chair. _This may not be that dramatic after all… It may even serve me better than my original plan…_

* * *

"How about you come and rest in the cave for a few hours? At least until this rock is out of range again." Bruce says gently, patting his friend's shoulder. 

Kal-El stares at the billionaire. "And let the world deal with all this? I need to be there for people..."

"All you'll be asked to do will be to push this thing away, and until then, you need to save your strength. You won't be of much help to anyone if you faint in the lower stratosphere or under a derailing train..." Bruce retorts.

_He has a point_, Superman thinks, sighing. But maybe pushing the landmass away is not the only way... "There may be another solution, but I need to find Luthor first for that."

Bruce frowns. "Another solution? Which one? And what does it have to do with that maniac?"

"Luthor stole my crystals. They're the key to Krypton's heritage, its technology, its knowledge, its history… I kept them safe in my… Well the equivalent of your cave… But he found a way to go there and steal them all, then used one of them to create New Krypton..." the hero says, a tint of disgust in his voice.

Curiosity barely hidden, the billionaire leans forward and asks, "Crystals? So that's how he did that? Interesting. But... pardon me if I ask this but why? What is the purpose of building a "rock"?"

"Not building a rock, growing a land." Kal-El rectifies. "My Father sent me here with the complete knowledge of Krypton embedded in those crystals and one of those was capable of growing land, giving me the possibility to rebuild Krypton out of any land containing water if it happened to be helpful for Humans, like some sort of terra-forming, but it was supposed to be used on a lifeless planet, not Earth." Seeing the stunned look on his friend's face, he continues, lowering his eyes, quite ashamed, "Most of the topography of Krypton was embedded in that crystal. I don't think that Luthor realized what he was doing when he triggered the growth. He must have seriously underestimated the amount of growth when he talked to Lois about it. A continent..." Kal-El snorts at that. "If I hadn't lifted the growing island out the water and away from the atmosphere, it would have covered the entire surface of the planet, duplicating the face of Krypton..."

Speechless for a moment, Bruce starts to stammer, shocked by this revelation, "You... You're telling me that... that all this time you have had with you something capable of destroying our planet, and that somehow you let one of Earth's worst criminals steal it because you forgot to lock your door when you went away for your five year trip?!"

The hero, clearly ashamed, throws a guilty look at the other man. "My… hideout wasn't designed to harm anyone…" He sighs then adds, "Anyway, the idea of incorporating kryptonite into the growing process just to keep me at bay is what resulted in the crystals' instability."

"Explaining the auto-destruction process... How... How could you let Luthor get into your hideout? Geez, I don't even know where it is myself!!" the billionaire says out of anger.

His eyes still fixed on the floor before him, Kal-El answers, "It's in the Arctic..."

Bruce contemplates his friend a moment, finally understanding why he feels so responsible for all this mess. _He really doesn't need this right now..._ he thinks. His expression softening slightly, he says, "Ok, so if Luthor still has your remaining crystals, what can he do with them?"

The hero looks at him right in the eyes. "You don't want to know..." Seeing his friend's face going blank, he adds, "What I keep asking myself, is why hasn't he used them again? At first I thought that he didn't want me to find him and knew that I would immediately spot him if he did so, but now I'm starting to wonder..."

"And what if he lost them when you pushed the landmass into space?"

Kal-El frowns at that.

Bruce adds, following his train of thought, "Do you really think that Luthor would waste his time playing with your son's hemoglobin if he really still had them?"

At the sudden realization of this utter evidence, Superman's face closes in pure anger. "How could I be so stupid!? It's obvious he can't have them anymore!" He gets up frantically, ignoring the throbbing pain still present in his back. "Oh, God! How could I have been so mindless?" he continues, pacing the floor in front of his friend.

"You're ill. Your little trip alone toward the landmass the other day is a good example of how it's altering your judgment," the other man says simply, putting his hand on the hero's shoulder to stop him. "Let's stick to the original plan. We'll call Lucius and Hamilton back in to see to that together."

* * *

Entering the lab where various scientists are bustling about, Luthor goes directly to the oldest, who is busy looking into a microscope. "Professor Lebedev, you asked for me. Something interesting to show me?"

With a thick Russian accent, the scientist, not leaving his microscope, says, "Da. The samples proved to be even better than our expectations, sir. Look at this."

Luthor looks into the instrument eagerly, to see many red circular shaped forms, and numerous minuscule colorless objects floating in the surrounding medium. Amazed, he sees how the tiny objects seem to overwhelm the red cells, finally causing the cells to burst and spill their contents. "Is this what I think it is?"

"Da. While testing the differences between the blood you just brought and the alien sample we had from Metropolis General Hospital, we discovered that the antigens from the first one seem to fight the alien cells."

Still looking at the scene through the lens, the bald man asks excitedly, "Which means?"

The Russian smiles contentedly, "The human genome and alien genome don't fit together. The human immune system produces antigens that attack the alien red blood cells. Since the half-breed has elements from both genomes, this causes him to have antigens that attack his own red blood cells, which could explain why he is fragile and prone to illness."

Getting a little impatient, Luthor straightens up, looking at Lebedev coldly. "Great, now we know why this kid needs an inhaler, but is able to throw a piano whenever he feels like it... but how useful is this for my purposes?!"

Obviously not intimidated by the other man, the scientist smiles even broader. "Take a look at this." He hands him a small vial containing a thick black liquid. "I decided to add kryptonite in a small dose to the half-breed blood to see what it would do."

"And?"

Pushing Luthor away gently, Lebedev puts another blood sample under the microscope. "Here's an untouched sample of the alien blood also taken from the piece of kryptonite they took out of him when he was admitted to the hospital."

Luthor looks excitedly into the ocular. Living red cells seem to float through the clear medium alongside similar golden ones. "Are those yellow ones..."

"Da, those are the ones that we suspect to be the origin of his powers, or at least have an effect on them. But we would need more than a few drops of blood to understand it all. The main purpose here is to see how it reacts to the little potion I created out of the kryptonite and the human antigens."

"And?!" Luthor says again, rolling his eyes. He's starting to be really annoyed by the other man's egotism… and heavy accent.

Lebedev opens the vial of dark liquid and carefully retrieves a small drop of the liquid with a tiny pipette. With extra care, he takes the slide from the microscope, and expertly adds a tiny amount of the liquid to it. He then replaces it under the instrument, letting Luthor see the result. This time the red cells seem to deteriorate faster and the golden ones soon shrink to nothing, appearing to implode.

Excited like a child with a new toy, Luthor exclaims, "Fantastic! How will it work on him?"

"Well, the human antigens themselves become vectors of the poison and let it spread through the entire body. Only a few drops will be enough to contaminate him entirely."

"How long will it take?"

"Hmm... hard to say with just the samples we have here. A few hours... a day or two maybe... His powers will be the first to go, assuming these golden cells are indeed related to them."

Lex finally looks up at the other man, his face slowly illuminated by a bright grin. Straightening up, he closes his eyes, a shudder of contentment running down his spine. _I'll have my revenge on you finally, Superman. I'll strip you out of your powers, I'll strip you of everything, then I'll crush you with my own hands._


	27. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26: light is in them**

"A space shuttle?!" Kal-El's eyes widen as he stares at the animation running in a loop on the laptop Lucius has brought with him.

With a satisfied grin, the African-American man nods. "Yes. Our people at Kennedy Space Center have been hard at work on it since early this morning to modify the structure of the payload bay, lining it with lead for maximum protection. It'll be ready in three or four days at the most, and we'll use the same dual-craft launch process to save time. Genesis will bring you close to New Krypton to spare you the effort and exposure to kryptonite radiation, and will escort you the rest of the way in case they need to grab you... should you happen to have difficulty getting back," he says with a conspiratorial wrinkle forming close to his left eye.

"Genesis? But I thought it -" Kal-El starts.

Bruce cuts him off to explain, "You saved our shuttle from a major disaster that day after the blackout. No one's forgotten that, and now Genesis has a way to return the favor. The shuttle's been repaired, and the crew is already on standby and preparing for the mission." Bruce beams proudly, patting the hero's back.

Superman's jaw drops as he looks oddly at the billionaire. _He owns that space shuttle too?_ His gaze softens slightly as he snickers internally. Why am I not surprised? Turning back to look at the simulation on the computer, he evaluates the possibilities quickly. _It could work… It has to work! _But would he be able to push New Krypton away in his current state? As soon as the bay doors open, he'd receive the deadly radiation at full force and could lose what remains of his powers instantly, leaving him drifting helpless in space like a rag doll.

As if on cue, Hamilton presses few keys and one of the screens before them changes its display to a 3D representation of what Kal-El recognizes as being a space suit, though slightly different. "And this…" the scientist pauses for full effect, clearly proud of his creation, "…will be your personal "armor". I've been working on this all night with Mister Fox here. This modified space suit is thinner than a standard suit, but is lead lined at ninety five percent, including the glass of the helmet. We got rid of anything not necessary for you personally, like the air supply for example, to lighten its weight and keep it supple and thin enough to allow you full range of motion. Although we didn't expect to use it so early, the actual prototype should be ready by the time the shuttle is cleared for launch."

The hero looks at the screen with an indefinable expression. _They really thought of all this? In the span of a single night?_

Hamilton's smile fades. "Err… but I suppose you can probably make a suit more… advanced than this…"

Superman snaps out of his thoughts and quickly answers, "No! I mean… actually I'm not in any position right now to… That suit is a brilliant idea, Professor!" Unexpected hope slowly coming to him, he feels adrenaline rushing through his veins, his heart beating faster._ We really can make it, together._

Jor-El's words come to his mind: _They can be a great people, Kal-El, they wish to be… They only lack the light to show them the way…_

_I think that most of them already have that light in them, Father_, Kal-El thinks, a relieved smile forming on his lips. "Than-" he starts but a phone ringing at the other side of the lab interrupts him in mid sentence.

Hamilton walks to it and picks it up, answering, "Yes?" He frowns. "Yes, transfer him to me…" Straightening up mechanically as if to prepare himself mentally, he says, "Hello, Mister President. I have news for you about New Krypton. I… Err… Yes, he happens to be here with us at the moment, but… Yes… " With a frustrated sigh, the scientist turns to Superman, holding the phone out to him. "The President of the United States wants to talk to you, Superman."

* * *

Perry reads the printed sheet of paper with growing interest. Leveling his eyes to meet Lois' impatient gaze, he says, "Are you absolutely sure about this? You do know that we'd be taking a monumental risk by publishing it, don't you?"

She glares at him. "I've spent the last 36 hours on this. My source managed to trace the information that was spread over the Internet back to S.T.A.R. Labs, but every time I tried to contact them regarding the New Krypton survey, I had the door practically slammed in my face. Ever since the President's statement, we've been getting the same rehearsed answers, and... well, I don't buy it, Chief! This information running around the Internet has to be true!"

Sighing, the editor stares back at the article, filled with its myriad of spelling errors. Smiling to himself, he thinks about how badly they needed Kent back in the office, now more than ever, and for a ton of reasons, one of them being to proof-read Lois' writing. Even her word processor seems to have given up on her! _How can a person be such a wonderful journalist and at the same time such a damned horrible writer?_ Shrugging the thought away, he looks back at her. "Ok. You have my go," he starts, but as she's about to turn her heels, he adds, "But… not without Superman's statement about this."

Her jaw drops instantly. "What?! But Chief, how…"

Not letting her finish, he says, "Half the papers around the world stated this morning on their front page that in barely more than a month we'll experience the most beautiful fireworks mankind has ever seen, according to our President, while the other half have announced the apocalyptic end of the world for sensational means. The Daily Planet doesn't do sensationalism, Lois, nor it plays the government's game. This paper seeks the truth, and as far as I know, there's only one man able to get us that now and it's Superman."

Resisting the urge to tell her boss, '_Then why don't you just ask him yourself when he comes back from his mother's in Kansas?_' she bites her tongue and answers bitterly, rolling her eyes, "Fine, Chief, I'll call him on his cell phone right away." With that, she storms out the office and crosses the bullpen, ignoring Jimmy's calls for her as the poor guy stumbles toward her desk with a pile of files and photos. Out of the news room, she follows the main corridor and enters the ladies-room. _No one, fine_. She locks herself in a stall and leans against the tiled wall. Burying her face in her hands, she exhales deeply, letting herself slump to the floor. _How can Perry be so confident? How can they all be? Don't they see that a terrible cataclysm is about to happen? …that we're facing our last days? Even he can't help here! How could he possibly do it? He's not a God, for Christ's sake!! He's just… just a man…_ Tears start to wet her cheeks as sobs shake her slim body._ He's just a man…_

* * *

_The moment he enters the room, all voices die in an instant. When the President asked him to come to their emergency meeting of the Joint Chiefs at the Pentagon, he hesitated a moment, but thought it would be interesting to see how the government wanted to handle this. Having left S.T.A.R. Labs immediately, he was there only a few seconds later, already awaited by four military officers who escorted him to this secured – and lead-lined – room, well hidden five floors underground. __At least New Krypton's radiation will give me a break here, thanks to the lead,_ he thinks, smirking mentally as he feels his backache ease almost instantly.

_Slowly, he walks toward the long table, aware of the various scrutinizing eyes laid upon him. His crimson cape floats around him, its cadence punctuating each of his steps gracefully. With an even, measured pace, he sits on the leather chair assigned to him by the officer. Glancing at the seven persons seated around the table, he graces them with a reserved bow. "Gentlemen… Madam," he says, addressing the Vice-President, Norma Childs, a strong middle-aged woman who he had the opportunity to meet several times before leaving for Krypton, when she was still in the Senate. A cacophony of racing heartbeats meets his ears, giving him a pretty good idea of the effect he has on them all._

_The President Thomas J. Whitmore, a rather handsome man in his mid-forties with a confident smile illuminating his face, speaks finally, "Superman, thank you for coming. It's an honor to meet you." As Kal-El nods slightly, he continues, "First of all, I want to thank you on behalf of the entire United States Government for what you've done for us since you've returned."_

_"Sir, I'm not here for…" the hero starts, not really at ease in regard to praise, but the President interrupts him._

_"Oh, yes. I know that your time is precious and now more than ever, so let's get back to business, then," he says, looking down at an opened file before him. "Dr. Hamilton sent me this data while you were on your way here. By the look of it, that damned rock seems to want us to bite the dust sooner than predicted," he says, his gracious smile never leaving his face._

_Lifting an eyebrow, Kal-El feels the subtle reactions of the different people in attendance to the President's informal way of stating the facts. His attuned senses don't miss the barely hidden amusement in Miss Child's eyes, as clear as the disdain and the tension present in her neighbor to her left, General Stampworth, who he – unfortunately – had to deal with a few times in the past._

_Oblivious of the reactions he elicits, or at least feigning ignorance of them, Whitmore continues, "And by the look of what I'm reading here, there might very well be a way to avoid this." His eyes leave the file to look straight into Superman's deep blue ones, seriousness and resolve replacing his smile, and he asks, "What is your opinion about this? Will you be able to push that thing away in four days' time?"_

_Holding his gaze, Kal-El takes his time to answer, the new facts still so fresh in his mind. The President of United States is asking him right now if he'll be able to save the day again. He never had to ask himself this question, he always just did what had to be done. This time will be no exception. Feeling all expectant eyes upon him, he answers, "I'll do it."_

_"Fine," Whitmore says simply, his gaze softening. "How can we help you?" he adds._

_Superman hesitates a moment, then answers, "Contact your homologues in Europe, Russia and Asia. Prepare the people with the truth. Let them know what is really happening…"_

_"And let panic induce havoc and anarchy in our country?!" General Stampworth suddenly bursts out in anger. "And how can we trust an alien with our lives?! Why put the fate of the world into a stranger's hands?!"_

_Keeping his calm, Kal-El answers, his voice deep, but clear and resolved, "My fate will be no different from the one of the people of Earth."_

_"And what proof can you give us that you won't just fly away again?!" the General asks cynically, pointing his finger menacingly toward the hero. "We're big enough to take care of ourselves. We'll handle this without your alien help!!"_

_"General! That's enough!!" Whitmore intervenes finally. "If not for Superman, the East coast would already be under the sea."_

_"Indeed! Destroyed by a landmass created with __his_ technology!!" the old man answers, standing up out of rage.

_Hurt, but hiding it, Kal-El tries his best to keep his tone even. "Then I'll make an official statement to the world and I will tell them myself." With that, he stands up and starts to walk to the exit._

_"Superman. Are you really prepared to face the panic that may result from your statement?" Norma Childs says, looking at him favourably. "Think about it before making a decision. You may wind up with your hands full by the time the shuttle is ready for launch."_

_"Norma is right, Superman," the President adds, ignoring the General's ramblings at his side. "You may want to think about this before putting anything out to the medias." He stands up and goes around the table to meet the hero at the doorway. Holding his hand out to him, he says gently, "Whatever you decide, know that we'll follow you. Good luck Superman."_

_Kal-El stares at the hand before him, not quite believing it. Composing himself quickly, he shakes it, smiling finally. "Thank you Mister President." With a nod, he excuses himself and disappears behind the door, escorted by the two officers waiting there._

* * *

_The cab stops in front of the Daily Planet Plaza. "Here you are, Miss. That'll be twelve dollars for the ride," the driver says, barely looking at the lady in the rear seat as he grabs the twenty she hands him._

_"No, I believe that's for me," a familiar voice says as she hears the right passenger door open._

_Smiling, Lee feels a large, warm hand take hers gently, inviting her to get out of the car. "I didn't know they had reduced you to a doorman," she says jokingly._

_Clark looks down at her, frowning behind his glasses. "What are you doing here, Lee?"_

_Wandering her hand over his now returned three piece suit and coat, she pouts slightly. "I liked the clothes you wore in Smallville better," she whispers._

_"You were supposed to rest, remember?"_

_"Look who's talking! Listen, it's two pm already and I've had enough of pacing in circles in my apartment, waiting for…" She bites her lips before continuing, "… the events to come." She squeezes his hand, her eyes looking vaguely up at him. "I want to be useful too, Clark…"_

_Sighing, he looks down tenderly at her. Fighting the urge to breathe in her soft incandescent hair, he straightens up and coughs slightly. "Hmm…Ok, then let's go inside, fierce reporter," he says jokingly, leading her to the revolving doors of the lobby._

_As they walk away arm in arm, she says, "You know, you should really consider updating your outfit…"_

* * *

_In the dim, artificial light of her private room, Kitty watches Titanic on her perfect 107 inch LCD monitor for what must be about the fifty fifth time since they ended up in this hole. No tv shows or news channels allowed; that's Lex ultimate privilege here. Only DVDs that she keeps watching again and again to kill time._

_Bored, she presses on the power off button, and the image dies instantly, leaving the room in a dead, oppressive silence. She hates this place; it was much better when they were cruising the ocean in that luxurious boat. It was much better when… Superman hadn't returned yet in a way. Now all Lex's thoughts are tuned to the hero, leaving no place for her. When she expected power and wealth, she ended up stuck in this underground maze. She misses the daylight, shopping with unlimited credit, Pommy… Quickly, she rubs her cheek to get rid of an upcoming tear and grabs her plush dog to hold it tightly._

_A knock on the door startles her. "Yes?" Before she can make a move, Lex bursts into her room, swooping down on her. She cries out in fear, ready to retreat behind her bed but he scoops her up and forces her to stand. "Lex, I…" she starts pleading with a trembling voice, but he silences her with an eager kiss on her mouth. When his lips leave hers, she stares at him, completely dumbstruck, and just then realizes that he's grinning from ear to ear._

_Taking her face in both hands, Luthor looks her right in the eye. "In a little more than six days, I'll be the King of this world and you, my dear Kitty, you…" He pauses for his effect, bathing in her scared, lovely eyes. "You'll be my Queen." Catching her lips again, he kisses her hungrily, his tongue invading her mouth._

_Kitty soon responds to the kiss eagerly, purring under his hands wandering over her body. He's touching me, kissing me…again finally. His Queen… he wants me to be his queen… to be by his side…_

_Pushing her back onto her bed, he lies upon her, still exploring her perfect, fragile body with his hands. Kissing his way down her neck to the tops of her generous breasts, barely hidden under her expensive rose silk nightgown, he whispers huskily, "Will you help me, my dear Kitty? Will you be my partner?"_

_"Oh, yes…" she moans, her eyes already rolling into their sockets from the exquisite ordeal he's putting her through. "Oh, Lex…I'll do anything…"_

_"Will you deliver something to Superman for me?"_

_Her eyes snap opened suddenly. "Su-Superman?!"_

_"Hmm…" he just moans, still devouring her breast, his hands now running up her thighs and grabbing her tiny panties._

_She's about to say something when extremely skilled fingers invade her intimacy, sending bolts of pleasure through out her body. "Ahhh!" she gasps, her hands clutching his bald head._

_Moving his fingers expertly, Lex leaves her left nipple to grab her panting mouth again, feeding himself on her repeated moans and purrs. Biting and licking her full lips, he then asks again, "Will you do this for me?"_

_"Yes!!" she finally cries out as she comes under his touch. "I'll do anything for you!"_

_Getting up suddenly, he rapidly takes a handkerchief and wipes his hands with it. Looking back down at her still shivering frame, he smiles broadly. "Oh, I don't ask you as much, my Dear…" With that he leaves her there and disappears through the door._

_Kitty lays splayed out on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling for a moment, waiting for her heart to slow down. Sighing, she sits up finally, looking back at her plush toy. She grabs it and buries her nose into its fake fur, closing her eyes and trying to sort out what Lex just tricked her into agreeing to. __Superman... this may be my only chance to meet you again…_


	28. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27: the promise**

"Miss Lane! Miss Lane!" Jimmy's voice resonates from outside the ladies-room as he bangs repeatedly on the door. "Miss Lane! Are you in there?"

Lois rolls her blood-shot eyes as she stares at her reflexion in the mirror above one of the sinks. She quickly splashes her face with fresh water to try and hide the remains of her crying fit, and dries herself off before straightening up, looking one last time at the mirror. Satisfied, she adjusts her outfit and walks with a determined pace to the door. "Yes, Jimmy…" she says as she appears before the young man.

Jimmy immediately notices her tormented expression but decides that it's better to ignore it. "Mister White wants you to join him in the conference room." He hesitates a moment then adds, his voice fading into a whisper, "… right now." He mentally cringes at the unavoidable wrath that usually falls upon him each time he has to retrieve Lois on the Chief's command, but nothing happens. Lois just nods and walks back to the bullpen, leaving the photographer abashed.

* * *

Spotting the editor in chief at the other side of the conference room as she steps in, Lois, starts immediately, her notepad already in hand, "Perry, you need to give me some more time, ok? It's not like I can just summon Superman by rubbing an oil lamp, or just snap my fingers..." She makes the gesture. "...and whoosh! He's there, you know…"

"Hi Lois," a familiar voice comes from behind her.

She spins around to see Clark seated in one of the chairs around the big table, looking at her from behind his huge glasses with a soft and quite insecure smile. As their eyes meet, she sees him frown immediately when he notices the traces of her recent tears. Nervously, she looks away, trying to tame her slightly disheveled hair as her gaze falls on the other attendants. Aileen Rogers is there too, in the chair next to him. Lois snarls to herself; _of course she's here… _Richard, who is now staring back at her quizzically, is seated across the table at the other side of the room.

Before Lois can mouth a word, still standing awkwardly at the entrance, the old editor says, "Ok, before we get onto the strategy regarding the upcoming events, I asked you all to join this meeting to put a few things in order. First of all…" He pauses to look at each of them, one by one. His gaze stops on Clark who retreats into his chair mechanically. "Kent! If you ever vanish into thin air again like that at a crucial moment, you're fired!!"

Clark stares at him with utter shock. Stammering, he tries, "But… Ch-chief, I…" Seeing his boss' glare on him unfaltering, he just adds, lowering his eyes, "Yes, Mister White."

"But Mister White…" Lee says, ready to defend the reporter. After all having been taken to custody by the Police is not what you can exactly call vanishing into thin air!

"Rogers!" Perry barks, cutting any argument off right away, then his tone softens immediately. "Glad to have you back with us, young lady."

"Thank you Chief, but..." she answers, ready to catch her chance to speak for Clark but the editor won't let her go any further.

"Does the word 'reasonable' mean anything to you?" he says sternly.

"Ah, err…"

"Didn't anybody tell you that taking a flight with a head injury is plain stupid?"

She lowers her head, feeling like a kid again. _Well, at least it was well worth it…_she thinks to herself.

Satisfied by her reaction, the old man now throws them all a stern glare. "Now to settle this whole mess once and for all, I don't want to hear anything anymore about Kent's past and his five year absence. He doesn't want to talk about it, that's fine for me. No more digging dirt up on colleagues, Lois, am I well understood? It's not any of your business."

Lois nods, now seated on the nearest chair and doodling on her notepad, obviously not really impressed by Perry's lecture.

"Mister White, I don't think…" Clark starts, more and more embarrassed by the odd situation.

"Shut up Kent! We're all bound to work together to cover the serious events to come. For the last few weeks, you've all been acting like a bunch of three year old brats! This place is not a kindergarten!!! It's a newspaper!! So behave like adults and professionals!! Now, I don't want to hear one more word about it; case closed!" he barks.

They all look at each other, stunned as he pauses to mark his point and effect.

Lois, finally looking up from her notepad, her expression returned to her usual confident self, says, "Now, how about we get back to business?"

Perry nods, inviting her to continue.

"I got news from Inspector Sanders this morning concerning Jason and Aileen's kidnapping."

At the sound of the inspector's name, Clark winces to himself, unpleasant thoughts of his day long captivity coming back to his mind.

"They found the corpse of the real pilot of the Jet hidden in his car trunk near one of the hangars at Metropolis airport, a bullet between the eyes." She adds, "They also identified the pilot who took his place and who was killed during the fight in the plane; he was a mercenary and was last spotted hanging around with an independent group in South America. They'll bring some photos today to see if Jason is able to recognize any of them among his kidnappers."

"Good, maybe they'll finally get a strong lead to whoever choreographed this," Perry says, then he looks at Clark. "Kent, you're on this from now on."

As the reporter looks at his boss, wide eyed, Lois immediately argues, "But Chief! I've already started..."

"Lois, you're already covering New Krypton, and as a matter of fact, Superman. That's enough to keep your hands full for the next few days. Kent is free of any assignment, and besides, as he has been badly compromised in this affair, I'm sure that he would like to know why and by who," the editor says, his tone imperative.

Acknowledging a certain déjà vu in this situation, Clark is happy nonetheless to have something else to keep his mind busy while he waits for the shuttle to be ready, and most of all to have the opportunity to finally get to Luthor. He nods to Perry, ready to answer, when Richard, who had said nothing so far, cuts him off, "I want to be on it too."

Surprised, they all look at the assistant editor as his uncle, lifting an eyebrow, says, "Richard, you're already in charge of the International department, you can't..."

But Richard, not the least impressed by his uncle's imperious tone, argues, "I can take care of both and..." He looks at Lois in a sympathetic way. "If Luthor is really behind all this as we're all pretty sure he is, I want to be a part of it, Perry." He then looks at Clark. "Of course I'll leave you the full byline, Clark."

The white-haired editor rubs the back of his head absently, reflecting on this for a few seconds then turns to the tall reporter. "Kent?"

"Err, oh... Ok... I mean that's... fine." Clark stammers, not really feeling at ease at the perspective of having to work closely with Lois' fiancé. On the other hand, he thinks, he will have a chance to get to know the man who is destined to raise his son.

Satisfied, Perry claps his hands. "Fine! Lois, Superman and New Krypton, Kent and Richard, the kidnapping. Rogers, I want your statement on this to give to the boys, then you have a chronicle to run, remember?"

"Yes, sir," the red haired woman says.

"Good! So, let's moving, people!!" With that he dismisses them all with a rapid wave of his left hand while he grabs his mug with the other to sip at his remaining coffee. As they trot hastily out of the conference room, he cracks a conspiratorial smile.

* * *

"Lois!"

The female reporter, ignoring the unsure voice of her mild mannered colleague trotting behind her, rushes through the bullpen, heading to the elevators.

"Lois…" Clark tries with his deeper, normal voice this time when they pass through the deserted hallway.

The effect is immediate, making the young woman stop right away in her tracks. _That voice…_ Slowly, she turns around to face him, eyes closed. _Oh, God, let him be..._ Opening her eyes, she looks up at the tall reporter, scrutinizing every detail, from his thick fringe of hair covering the rim of his ugly black glasses, to his puppy dog eyes pleading with her silently, to his slightly hunched posture and this tacky, old three piece suit covering his broad frame, conferring him an odd, misplaced look. All of a sudden she wants to cry, she wants to tear him apart shred by shred, she wants to punch him in the face repeatedly with a fury, she wants to yell at him, _What did you do to Superman, you freaking bstard?! Where's Kal-El?!!_ "What is it, Clark?" she says simply, her eyes avoiding his gaze.

The reporter looks down at her and sighs. "Lois, we need to talk."

"You bet," she says in a mocking tone.

"Lois..." but she doesn't let him get far.

"What are you doing here anyway, playing the dorky nerd in this newspaper? Don't you have anything more important to do, like... saving the fcking world?!"

"Shh..." he tries to shush her, looking sideways at their surroundings. _This won't be easy._ "Lois, that's not..." but he stops suddenly, his gaze becoming distant as he tilts his head slightly to the left.

At this instant, Lois realizes that she knows that look, she knows this very moment, when his dorky smile subtly gives way to a determined face. From all the times he has had this sudden distant expression and the next minute he was nowhere to be seen, she realizes that it was there right before her eyes and that she never gave it a second thought... until now. The changing shade of blue in his eyes that suddenly darkens slightly when he's concentrating... _Something no human eye can do..._ the way his stammer stops and his voice drops a whole octave when he usually says...

"I need to go."

She looks up at him straight in the eye now, waiting for the usual silly excuse that always follows but this time it won't come, _of course..._ He sighs again, his height increasing a few inches as he straitens up fully, his frame now blocking the light coming from the bullpen totally. She feels so small next to him. Clark has always been a reassuring figure for her but not in that way, not like this, in this instant...

"Meet me on the rooftop at six pm," he says softly, then he walks away rapidly, not waiting for her answer.

Lois stays there a few moments, staring blankly at the wall, a knot in her throat.

"Lois!"

She turns around to see Richard walking toward her. Composing herself, she sighs before gratifying him with a tender smile.

"Lois! Have you seen Clark? I've searched for him everywhere," the assistant editor says, clearly annoyed.

Her eyes widening slightly, she opens her mouth, stammering a little. "I, err... he's..." then her voice steadies finally. "Well, he just left. He told me that a source of his had maybe something interesting for the case you're both on. He said that he would get back to you after that."

"Oh, ok. Fine. Well, in the meantime I'll try to gather what we already have on this," he says, reassured. "Oh, by the way, Jimmy needs to go take some pics for Gil's next article about the reconstruction of the stadium, and asked if we could take Jason back off his hands," he adds, a little amused, knowing that the young photographer is in fact ill at ease with five year old children. Although he agreed to look after him while they were all in the conference room, he is more than eager now to be discharged of his duty.

Lois smiles openly now. "Ok, I can take him with me until the officers arrive, then I have a... rendez-vous at six."

"I'll keep him with me then, no problem. I hope that Clark brings us some useful stuff to work on." With that he kisses her lightly on the lips and goes back in the newsroom.

Lois' gaze follows him as he steps away, then she looks back at the elevators. _Six o'clock._ She sighs and finally heads for the bullpen too.

* * *

As Kal-El dives beneath the lowest layer of thick clouds, a sad scene appears before his eyes. Under the pouring rain, a long procession of vehicles fills the highway coming from north, its endless flow of lights drawing an illuminated line up to the mountains and down to the south. Hundreds of people are leaving their homes after the news of New Krypton's imminent explosion. Although the various governments of the northern nations have tried to downplay the possible cataclysmic result on the planet, a wave of panic has finally started to spread, pushing people to head south to a hypothetical shelter. Deciding to follow the trail of vehicles for a moment, the hero gives himself time to think about what happened during the rescue he just completed.

As soon as he heard the news on one of the feeds in the bullpen, he flew straight to this area of British Columbia, where an old bridge had been reported to have partially collapsed under the pressure of the unusual amount of water. During the last few days, the heavy rain had poured endlessly, swelling the rivers at a dangerous rate. The great number of vehicles passing on this countryside bridge at that moment had finally weakened its structure to the breaking point.

Sighing, Kal-El lets his flight carry him along under the rain as he thinks about the last hour he has spent helping those people trapped on the partially fallen bridge. What should have been an easy task for him became quite an ordeal when he had to realize that his illness was starting to slow him. While his strength had remained the same, allowing him to lift up cars and trucks easily, he was tiring awfully quickly and had to make some halts in between, trying to catch his breath when no one could see him, his back becoming sore and stiff. And then there was this red Wagon...

He had just put a big oil truck back down onto the road a little further away, when he saw it in the corner of his eyes; as a big chunk of the bridge deck finally gave in and collapsed further into the river, the nearest car, who was still trapped in a dangerous position, was thrown into the muddy water. He heard their screams and saw their horrified faces as the vehicle disappeared under the surface, carried away by the flow of the angry river, swelled by the torrential rain. Four people, a couple and their children were crying, begging for help, calling for him. Like a blur, he flew in their direction and dove into the water, his powerful body breaking through the surface violently. He felt the coldness on his skin as the chilling water soaked his suit, not contained entirely anymore within his fading aura, and his body no longer able to produce enough warmth now to compensate. Although New Krypton was out of range again, it had drained him of most of his solar charge in the past hours and he knew he was on his reserves right now, having not been able to take a proper solar recharge since this morning.

He had to use his x-ray vision to see through the brown thickness of the water. Soon he reached the car, grabbing it with both hands as he strained to slow its wild run. Pushing back, he quickly managed to lift it up, emerging with it from beneath the water's surface. In the car, he heard their desperate cries changing into hopeful encouragements when they realized he was there; it cheered him up and boosted his strength in some way. Shifting his grip on the car, he dove back and placed himself under it to have a better hold. They would be soon out of danger.

Suddenly, as he was rising the car completely out of the river above his head, allowing himself a welcomed breath of fresh air, a big tree trunk carried by the enraged stream hit him with full force from behind, just on the area of his scar. The wood shattered immediately against his back like it had hit a brick wall and Kal-El cried out in pain... That's the last thing he remembers before passing out.

_Fox had warned me and Bruce did too._ _It would happen again and it could be anytime, anywhere..._ Angry at himself, the hero, still hovering above the incessant row of vehicles, remembers when he woke up. Totally disoriented, he was in the muddy depth of the water, rolled and carried away like a puppet by the violent flow. He had water in his mouth and throat and was choking, no air left in his lungs. Lost in complete darkness, he didn't even know where the surface was. He was cold and frightened, and it angered him even more. Ignoring the pain in his back and pushing away the fear, he concentrated and managed to regain control of his course. Using his x-ray vision again, he scanned his surroundings and quickly swam to the surface as his lungs were screaming for air. As soon as he broke through the surface, he gasped and coughed, but didn't allow himself any more time as he immediately searched his whereabouts to find the car.

He quickly spotted it only a few yards away further down the river, sinking quickly into the churning mess, its rooftop still visible in the waves. Fortunately his loss of consciousness hadn't lasted too long and it wasn't too late to save them. In a matter of seconds he was already there, grabbing the car again. With tremendous efforts this time, he fought against the stream and sorely managed to drag the vehicle out of the river, pulling it out with all his remaining strength to the shore. Still coughing and spiting out filthy water, he staggered along the car and ripped the driver's door out, allowing all the water to flow out of it. He heard their heartbeats before even seeing them; they were all safe.

Leaning over the hood, he let himself recover a little; this had been the most pitiful rescue he had ever made and it was enraging him. He could have lost those people; he could have failed his promise to help... Lost in his thoughts, Kal-El didn't see the blow coming. When the fist came in contact with his jaw, he instinctively let his body absorb the shock. The man who he just had saved with his wife and children was trying to punch him now.

"You! It's all your fault!! All this is your fault!"

"Charles! Please!! He saved us!" the woman was behind her husband, trying to stop him.

Kal-El looked back at them, dumbstruck. The children, one boy the age of Jason and his sister a little younger, were hugging each other, whimpering. He didn't feel the blow but he felt the words like a dagger in his heart. _This man was right..._ He stared at him as the other one continued to drench his anger over him.

"You don't know what it is to be a father!! You can't understand what it feels to not be able to give your kids a future because there's no future at all to give!!" the man said, his voice trembling from the coldness and anger.

_You don't know what it is to be a father..._ This phrase was echoing in the hero's head. _Oh, I know..._ "You're right..." he simply said, looking at the man straight in the eyes. "I may not know what it is to be a father, but I know what it is to be a child, lose everything and be all that's left... I know what it is to feel alone."

The man backed away, clearly not prepared to hear this from the mighty hero whose eyes had now turned into a darker cobalt shade. Kal-El regretted his words immediately, he shouldn't have said this, and they shouldn't have to hear that from him. People usually didn't see him as a man with flaws and fears and, in a way, it was how it had to be. Superman was supposed to bring hope, not just a reflection of their fears.

The woman, trembling in her soaked coat, walked to him and asked, her eyes pleading _the man who never lied_, "What the US President said is real, isn't it? The explosion will have no effect on our planet?"

Kal-El looked at her, instinctively straightening up. "Ma'am, the landmass will explode but I'll do whatever it takes to protect this planet from it."

The little girl who had finally calmed down, left her brother to come next to the hero while people and rescuers were arriving at the scene and started to gather around them. She grabbed his cape to force him to kneel to be at her level. He felt like her blue eyes could pierce him up to his soul. "Superman," she said with her tiny voice, "Will you save us all so we can go back to our house and I can see my rabbit Gipsy again? Do you promise it?"

The hero looked down at her, wordless. People around them were listening and it was evident they were all waiting for his answer to the little girl, him,_ the man who never lied_. For a long moment, he stayed there, speechless, all eyes on him. Those people weren't expecting the truth, they were waiting for hope. Looking at their faces, he could see their absolute trust in him. This time, and even if he had always wanted to avoid it, he would really have to be their savior. He heard himself say those words. "I promise."

As the little girl hugged his neck, he clearly felt the relief around him. They all relied on him. He couldn't deceive them.

Finally gaining altitude after having checked that no one needed his help anymore in this area, Kal-El turns these words over in his head again and again. _A promise._ Why make such a statement? Was it arrogance or weakness in front of their fears? Only gods can make such promises, only they can hold them.

His expression stiffens suddenly, his eyes becoming as dark as the night. _This world gave everything to me. I'll push that monstrosity away, whatever it costs. I gave my word, I'll honor it, even if I have to play God and be damned for it. _Clenching his jaw, he soon disappears into the clouds.


	29. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28: Goodbye Superman, Hello Smallville!**

Lois gazes at the city below, its incessant buzz rocking her thoughts. Night has already fallen at this early hour of an October day. How many times has she come here in a vain attempt to see him appear from nowhere and take her for a magical flight? How many evenings has she dreamed that his divine body would keep her warm? But today things are different and some of the magic is gone. Today, she didn't have to cast a silent spell in the night to summon him, like an oriental princess in her golden castle, bathed in a sea of glowing stars, calling her shining knight. Today Clark just told her to wait here for him. There's nothing magical in that; it even seems like there's something quite dirty about it. Yes, she feels like she's cheating on Richard, meeting a man on the roof behind his back. It's just a… common rendezvous.

Shaken by this new unusual thought, she doesn't notice the sudden light breeze on her left, and when the familiar deep voice calls her name softly, she jumps up slightly. Turning slowly, she sees him finally. It seems like ages since she's seen him in this suit, although it's been just three days since the hospital. In fact it's the first time he's appeared like this before her since... she discovered the truth. Scrutinizing him carefully, she desperately tries to catch little details that could help her cling to the unspoiled image she used to have of him.

Feeling quite uneasy about being here alone with her for the first time since he revealed himself, Kal-El prefers to deal with practical matters first and is the first to speak. "Lois, there's something really important that you need to include in your article."

She stares at him, mouth agape. _He's not here to talk… about us..._ "You… you're here for an interview? Again?" she snaps bitterly. As he tries to open his mouth to answer, she holds her hand in front of him, closing her eyes to calm herself. "Ok. Ok… of course, the article." She fumbles in her purse, quickly finding her recorder. As she's about to power it on, she suddenly stops and looks back at the tall hero in front of her. "Wait a minute! Can't you write your article yourself?! You're a reporter, as far as I know. Or is that just another masquerade?!"

The harshness in her tone falls hard on Kal-El. "Lois…" he tries, but again she won't let him speak.

"Or maybe, you were never a journalist at all. Oh yes! The whole Smallville story… Mom at the farm, your dear father dead when you were just seventeen, blablabla… All this is just…"

"Lois!" He says now more imperiously. "New Krypton will explode in six days, not in a month," he adds, his eyes now dark and fixed on her, silencing her immediately. He can see the shock in her beautiful eyes perfectly.

"Six… six days… but wh-" she stammers, all her anger crumbling in front of the sudden reality. _Six days… _As long as they had a month to prepare she could still bear it, the distance of the event rendering it impalpable, almost virtual, but just six days…

Kal-El, in a genuine attempt to comfort her, steps close to her and puts his broad hands on her frail shoulders. Sighing, he adds softly, "It's true. I made the calculations myself."

But she's not listening, awfully clear images of the cataclysm dancing in her head. The bright light, the gigantic shock wave, cities, nations vaporized, people, children killed instantly… The proximity of the event is almost unbearable, even for her. Without even knowing it, tears are swelling out of her eyes as she stares at an invisible spot on the floor. She doesn't even feel the hands rubbing her sleeves gently.

His heart bleeding, he looks at her, helpless. _I did this to her. This all happened because of me…_ Lifting her chin gently with his right hand, he forces her to finally look up at him, then casually brushes her tears away with the tips of his fingers. "Lois…" His voice is now soft and soothing. "Lois, listen to me very carefully."

At the sound of these words, her gaze focuses on his clear blue eyes, outlined by incredible black lashes, and she's unable to say at that instant if the subtle glow in those eyes is a mere reflection of the lights of the city or another one of his Kryptonian gifts. _Kal-El… You're still here. _

Feeling her relax a little, he rests his hand on her cheek gently and says, "Earth won't be destroyed by the explosion. We have a way to prevent it."

"We?"

"Yes, I'm working in collaboration with S.T.A.R. Labs and Wayne Enterprises…" He then explains how they intend to help him push New Krypton out of its orbit in three days.

As he speaks, she gazes at him, mesmerized by the confident and slightly excited tone in his deep voice. He really believes in their success, leaving no doubt about it, and she can't help but feel hopeful again. And for once he's not alone, he'll have help. He can't fail in that way. She surprises herself when she suddenly hugs him like a little girl, burying her face against his powerful chest, cutting him off.

Startled at first, Kal-El doesn't know how to react but his arms quickly encircle her tiny frame and he rests his chin on her head. He says softly, "You know that I wouldn't let anything happen to you and Jason…"

At the mention of her son, Lois pushes back and slides out of his embrace gently. She looks up at him again, her eyes clouded by sadness and regret. "Sup-" She pauses. "Kal-El. I…"

"I know…" He smiles tenderly at her, a peaceful sensation enveloping him suddenly. "And Richard is really a good man, it seems. He'll be a wonderful father for Jason."

"But I don't want you to be out of his life; he'll need you."

Kal-El tries his best to hide his pain as he knows perfectly well that there's not much hope of any future for him after New Krypton. He's dying, and who knows in what condition he'll be in three days, after having pushed that thing away. His illness was triggered during his trip to Krypton and there's no evidence that his condition will stop deteriorating even after the landmass radiation is gone. All he asks now is to keep enough strength to do what is needed in three days. Afraid that his sorrow might show, he pulls her back to him and hugs her more tightly this time, his cheek brushing her soft hair.

Lois hugs him back, taking his silence for something different. Her head resting on the small of his shoulder, she says, "I'm glad you could move on, too."

The hero frowns. He grabs her gently by the shoulders to hold her at arms length, his sapphire gaze on her. "What do you mean?"

"I mean Aileen," she says as casually as possible.

Still holding her, Kal-El says genuinely, "We're friends."

"Just friends?"

"Yes… No… " His hands leave her shoulders as he turns his back to her, trying to find his words. Now's the time to be honest with her… and to himself. "I feel myself when I'm with her, Lois. I don't need to pretend to be someone I'm not…"

"Because she's blind?" she says, trying to not sound ironic. She sees his shoulders move slightly as he chuckles.

"No. On the contrary. Because she can see right through me in a way no one else can." A lopsided smile graces his face. "Sometimes it even scares me."

Lois can't refrain a slight smile at this, herself. She can sense how his voice changed ever so subtly when he started to talk about Aileen. It's not his 'Superman' voice anymore, deep and assured, and yet it isn't the light and childish pitch of Clark either. For the first time, is she hearing his real voice?

Oblivious of her inner contemplation, Kal-El continues, carried away, "She's like a harbor to me. She understands who I genuinely am, but…" His expression darkens slightly. "She has yet to learn how to deal with this side of me," he says, turning back again to Lois and pointing at his suit.

Smiling sadly, she answers, "I made a big mess of things, didn't I?"

"It's not your fault, Lois. It's all mine. I approached you as Superman; I haven't been honest with you," he says immediately.

But Lois insists, "No, you approached me as both, but how could Clark compete with Superman?"

Sadly, he answers, "I never asked you to do that."

"You should have trusted me." Her shiny eyes give him a glimpse of all the regret she bears right now. All her anger too.

He gazes at her for a moment, silent, biting the inside of his cheek mechanically, then his expression softens. "Would it have made any difference in the end?"

Taken aback by his words, she looks up at him with wide eyes. "I guess… not," she finally says after an odd silence. The moment this phrase is spoken, she suddenly feels like a burden has been taken off of her. All her regrets, all her anger, all are gone. She's been head over heals for a myth, an illusion, a vision, but there was always so much more within that being than what she was seeing. She was wrong during all that time, and she hurt him deeply. As he smiles back to her now, his smile soft and gentle, she recognizes him; she sees Clark, the real one, not the bumbling fool. She remembers those days when they were the best team ever, like brother and sister. He was always around and more than anything he was always there as her best friend. She suddenly feels close to him in a way she's never been. She touches his arm but frowns suddenly, looking up into his beautiful blue eyes, detailing his face more closely. "Clark? Are you ok? You seem less… warm than usual, and you look… tired."

Surprised that she noticed, he looks down at her and smiles softly. "I'm fine." He bends down slightly and kisses her forehead, his lips brushing her skin softly. "Goodbye Lois."

Deep inside her, Lois knows the meaning of this goodbye, yet her heart is not crying. With a beautiful and genuine smile, she says, "Hello, Smallville."

Lifting an eyebrow, he gratifies her with a lopsided grin, and soon he disappears into the dark sky.


	30. Chapter 29

**First of all. I want to take the chance to thank you all for following this story. It's important for me as it's my very first try at writing and Superman Universe is part of my life since last July when I first saw SR. It brought a lot to me and this story is a way to continue the dream until the 'real' sequel. Thanks to you for your kind encouragements, to Pepper my personal Superbeta and to Saavikam77 for her grammatical editing.**

**Another note before we start the chapter. For an unknown reason, chapter 25 was cropped when I transfered it from The Planet Forum to here and the last part (and an important one that is! Oo) was missing. I edited it and put that scene back and I highly encourage you to read it in order to understand what is to come in the following chapters **

**That said. Enjoy !!   
**

**Chapter 29: the scoop**

As he steps into the elevator, Clark presses the button for the thirty third floor then leans back heavily against the rear wall. _I really appreciate elevators the most when they're empty like this_, he thinks, closing his eyes. After having left Lois as Superman, he quickly found a dark alley not far from the journal and changed back into his reporter persona.

Gently rocked by the cheap, easy listening music and the soft rumble of the car on its course up to the newsroom floor, he lets his thoughts drift along, welcoming this little moment of respite. A slight shiver runs down his spine, but he ignores it, pushing aside any sign of his fading condition. Sighing, he realizes that he really should have taken more time floating under the sun after his last rescue and before coming back to Metropolis, but he desperately needs to cling to his Clark Kent persona in these hard moments to keep his sanity, even if it would be much easier and more reasonable to just keep hiding from the world over the next three days and rest. _Three days… _The soothing image of Lois on the roof pushes aside his dark thoughts quickly, eliciting a slight smile from the reporter. _Lois… Finally we managed to end this whole cat and mouse game. I just wish it was sooner. I wish…  
_  
"Mister Kent? Are you alright?"

Clark snaps out of his thoughts, opening his eyes quickly. Mitch, the new young copy boy who replaced Jimmy when he got his promotion as a photographer, is standing in front of the now opened doors, scrutinizing him. "Mitch! Ah… err, Yes. I'm doing... swell!" the reporter immediately says, realizing that he was so lost in his reverie that he didn't even notice the car coming to a halt and the doors sliding open. Pushing his glasses up his nose with one finger nervously, he cracks an embarrassed smile at the young man and steps out of the car, rushing toward the newsroom.

Mitch's surprised gaze follows the tall reporter walking clumsily away. Shrugging off the odd encounter, he quickly enters in the elevator and disappears behind the doors.

* * *

"It has to be here, somewhere. There must be something that can lead us to that maniac..." Richard mumbles to himself as he reads the different files and reports spread over the desk in front of him again and again. He won't let any chance of finding the man who threatened his son slip away. A knock on the door interrupts him in his rambling. "Come in," he says without even letting his eyes leave the report he's reading.

"Err... Richard..." an unsure voice says, making the assistant editor raise his head up. Clark is standing awkwardly at the entrance, clearly uneasy. "I'm late, I'm really sorry... I mean..."

Sighing, the other man cracks a little smile. "That's ok, Clark, at least it allowed me to finish my other assignment and update myself on this story," he says gently, while the reporter closes the door and retrieves a chair to sit in front of the desk, clumsily setting a folder on it and almost knocking over the pile of papers near it, mumbling a little "sorry" in the process.

"So, was your source useful?"

Clark looks at him wide eyed. "My source?"

"Yes, the source you went to see this afternoon, that was supposed to give you some info about our case." Seeing the reporter blinking a few times, obviously clueless about what he's talking about, Richard adds, "That's where Lois told me you went."

The gears in his mind working fast, Clark finally recomposes himself. _Of course…_ "Oh... the source... yes... Well, in fact..." he starts, but the door bursts open, interrupting him.

Jimmy, his face blank, appears in the frame. "Mister White, Mister Kent!!! Come on!! The Chief just called a serious meeting in the conference room!!" He disappears as fast as he came, leaving the two men bewildered, looking at each other a few seconds, before getting up simultaneously and rushing to the conference room.

As they enter, they both realize that the entire staff is gathered there, all the chairs taken and the rest standing pressed together. Clark's gaze wanders around the room and he soon spots Lois seated near Perry, reading her notes, concentrated. Lee is seated not far from her between Judy and Gil, her hands running over a paper absently. Clark's gaze leaves her to fall on Perry, and the reporter suddenly feels chills on his back as he puts things together: the conference room, Lois next to Perry, and the editor's expression dark and serious. Perry knows about New Krypton now and is about to reveal the horrible reality to his staff. Once again the Daily Planet will have one of its biggest scoops, but Clark can't help but feel anxious and sad for his colleagues who are about to deal with something really bad. A sudden knot in his throat, the tall reporter stares at the young blind woman, who now speaks softly with Gil, oblivious of the info to be announced. _I should have told her myself this afternoon... Oh God! What was I thinking? Now she has to learn it from Perry. _He recalls their little moment in the elevator as they were waiting to arrive on the thirty-third floor. She was joking slightly at his clothes, as if nothing was wrong, as if nothing bad was going to happen, and he was gazing back at her, enjoying the short, innocent moment they were sharing. Egotistically, he said nothing, not willing to break that tiny instant of peace, wanting to spare her a few hours more. _I should have been the one to tell her anyway_, he thinks, his jaw clenching unwillingly as Perry hits the table a few times with his mug to silence the room.

"All right, people," the editor starts when the last remnants of conversations subside. He runs his gaze through the room, making sure he makes eye contact with each of his staff members, even for a second. "As you all know, we've been trying to get Superman's statement about the approaching event." With all eyes on him, the white haired man allows himself a deep breath. "Lois managed to get that statement just a few minutes ago..." A tremor of satisfaction and excitement rises, but the editor silences them right away. "But we have more than a statement. Superman told her that New Krypton will explode in exactly six days, and that this explosion will definitely impact the Earth..."

Clark looks wearily around the room; no movement among his colleagues, no sound. They're all staring incredulously at Perry as if they've just been petrified. The tall reporter sees their haunted looks, their slightly trembling hands, but most of all he hears their hearts, a cacophony of heartbeats pounding in chests tightened by a sudden angst. Gulping painfully as his own pulse resonates in his ears, Clark looks at Lee's tormented face. She seems to be staring at something in front of her, her eyes shining from unshed tears, her hands on her now trembling sheet of paper. Unable to leave her face, Clark hears himself mouth a silent "sorry," his own eyes itching. At that instant, her unfocused gaze rises from the table and her eyes fix on him suddenly, making him almost step away, his chest constricting and his breath dying in his throat. _She is looking at me... how is it..._ but he soon realizes that her gaze is still unfocused and that she's just looking in his general direction.

Still, her lips move to form a silent word. "Why?" he reads her saying.

Fighting to control his breath, he shakes his head slightly as Perry's speech tears his attention away again.

"Superman, though, has assured that a way to prevent any casualties has been found and is being pursued in cooperation with the private foundations S.T.A.R. Labs and Wayne Enterprises. From now on, I want everyone on this! All other assignments are postponed until further notice. Is that understood?"

But Clark isn't listening anymore, reflecting on the consequences of his actions regarding his young friend. His gaze lowering to look at his feet, he's oblivious of the palpable relief at the mention of Superman's upcoming accomplishment. Still frozen when the assembly is dismissed and people are pushing him roughly to exit the room, he asks himself if Lee will forgive him for not telling her as soon as he learned about the time table for the disaster. _Does it matter anyway?_ A hand resting on his shoulder tears him out of his thoughts.

Richard, who took his abashed expression for the shock of the new revelation, pats his back sympathetically. "Hey, buddy. It's ok. You heard Perry, Superman will take care of this mess. It's what he always does, isn't it?"

Clark's incredulous eyes meet the confident ones of the assistant editor. He nods, smiling faintly. _Superman will take care of this mess...  
_  
The assistant looks closely at his tall colleague for a moment when he still doesn't move. "Clark, you know what? How about we leave the kidnapping affair for tonight and take care of it tomorrow first thing? I'd like to go to the airport to check on that reservation you're supposed to have made there. Maybe we can find something that the police have missed."

The tall reporter stares back at him. "But Perry said..."

"Oh, Come on! Don't tell me that you're the kind to listen to what Perry says. Otherwise, you have to tell me how you managed to be the second best reporter in this newspaper!! Beside, don't you want to find that bstard, Luthor?"

Clark narrows his eyes immediately at the mention of the name. "Yes, sure," he says with a deeper voice.

"Ok, it's a deal. See you tomorrow morning then." the assistant says while walking away to join Lois, who is still talking with Perry.

Clark, looking up, sees Lee coming toward him. Taking a deep breath, he starts to speak, "Err... Lee..." but she looks at him with a faint, sad smile then walks past him, her hands subtly registering her surroundings. With his heart pounding, his eyes follow her as she walks away, takes her coat and starts to leave. Still unmoving, he sees Jimmy talking to her briefly then grabbing his own coat quickly before escorting her to the elevators. Turning his attention back to the room, the reporter gazes at Lois and Richard talking to Perry, enthralled by their discussion. Soon Jason, appearing from nowhere, bursts into the room and runs to them. As Clark was hidden by the door, the little boy didn't notice him and is now jiggling in the arms of his dad... The reporter's acute sight doesn't miss Lois's soft and loving look at her son, her hand entwined with her fiancé's, their fingers wrestling playfully as her lips curl into a graceful smile at a joke Richard just made. It doesn't miss the fatherly expression on Perry's face while he gives them some more recommendations either. They all seem so calm and confident, even at the announcement of this terrible threat. Clark sighs. _Of course, Superman will once again take care of this mess...  
_  
Feeling suddenly really exhausted and alone, he leaves the room unnoticed and grabs his coat from his desk, then drags himself slowly to the elevators.

_Three days..._

* * *

As he enters in the gigantic vestibule, Bruce tosses his keys casually on the nearby expensive art-deco buffet. "Good evening, Alfred," he says, watching the butler appear immediately out of nowhere as if the older man had spent the last two hours waiting for him, and gracing him with a gentle smile.

"Good evening, Master Bruce. I saved some 'coq au vin' for you." the old man says while taking the billionaire's coat off.

"Thanks, Alfred. Can you bring it to--?"

"It's already waiting for you _there_, Sir."

Bruce smiles broadly at him and starts to head to the library.

"How are things going with the preparations, by the way, Sir?"

"Great. They're on schedule so far, and we expect to have the shuttle ready in time. Lucius is monitoring everything from Metropolis, where he'll stay to help Hamilton with the suit," the young man says while hitting the few 'special' keys of the old piano. The hidden door slides opened with a creaking sound, letting the two men disappear behind it.

"And how is Mister Kent doing? I saw him on the news a few hours ago. Wouldn't it be more reasonable for him to just stay quiescent until the launch and keep his strength?" Alfred says as the old, rusty elevator slowly dives into the depths of the Manor.

Bruce looks at him with incredulous eyes. "Alfred, you know who you're talking about? Trying to keep him at bay is like trying to convince lieutenant Gordon to steal chewing-gum in a candy shop!"

The butler sighs. _Look who's talking..._

* * *

_Plop… Plop…_ Repeated drops of water spring from the faucet to crash rhythmically onto the cold, white enamel.

Clark stares at their origin point, his hands gripped on the sides of the sink. His eyes slowly rising up, he meets his reflection in the mirror before him. His raven hair, still dripping from a fresh shower, falls heavily over his forehead, almost masking his haunted eyes. _Pain… _he sees it in this stranger's eyes, in every wrinkle of his face, in the tension on his jaw, in the subtle tremors that shake his body. He feels it in every single nerve under his skin, in his labored breaths. He just had another attack… _again._ Clutching the sink, he lets the pain wash over him, snorting to himself that he's getting pretty good at it. _A few more breaths… let it flow… Just let if flow…  
_  
His gaze falls on the crystal hanging on its chain around his neck_. No… I can't give up. _The shade of blue in his eyes darkens suddenly as he straightens up, the last remnant of ache subsiding_. You won't win so easily… I'm not done here._ He fixes his gaze on his reflection, challenging it with a determined face and brushing his hair back with his right hand, a flash of fire dancing into his sapphire eyes_. I'm not done here and I don't plan on leaving without fighting either…_

* * *

Her fingers running for the umpteenth time over the same Braille line, Lee sighs and shuts the book. _It's no use… _Whatever she does, she can't seem to get it out of her mind. _He didn't tell me… He still doesn't trust me… _She closes her eyes, exhaling deeply to chase her frustration. _Get a grip, will you? Clark has much more important things to deal with than your rambling._

A soft knock on the door interrupts her thoughts. For a moment, she doesn't move, unsure of whether she's willing to answer or not. The knock is heard again and this time she hears his voice, soft and shy. "Lee, it's Clark…" He says nothing more, no commanding tone to let him in, no begging either, and she knows perfectly at that instant that he might very well stay there patiently the whole night if he has to, waiting for her to decide to open her door. This thought makes her smile unwillingly. She waits a few more minutes, fighting with her own desire to just leave him hanging there on the cold floor.

Waiting patiently, Clark doesn't allow himself to peer through the door, and when it opens to reveal the young red-haired woman, he sighs from relief. "Hi," he says softly.

"Hi," she just says, unable to hide her growing smile at the sound of his warm voice. She wants so badly to be angry at him, but she can't; it would not be fair... not today. "Come in," she says softly, stepping back to let him in.

He walks in, takes a few steps, then turns back to face her as she closes her door. "Lee, I came here to apologize for not having told you about..." he starts, but she cuts him off immediately.

"Clark, you don't have to apologize. You don't owe me anything. You-"

A soft kiss on her forehead silences her. "Did you eat?" she hears him say gently.

Taken aback by his sudden lightened tone and his drastic change of subject, she stammers, "Err, well... no... I..."

"Well, I'm starving. Let me take care of this, okay? I'll be back in a few minutes." Without another word, he opens the door and disappears behind it, leaving the young woman stunned, her mouth agape.

Fifteen minutes later, Clark is back, a few take out bags in hand. As he closes the front door and heads to the kitchen, Lee gets up from her couch, smelling the wonderful perfume of Chinese food. Guided by the yummy scent, she trots to the kitchen where her tall friend is already unpacking the food, using his x-ray vision to spot the dishes in the right drawers rapidly.

"Hmm... it smells so good!" she says as she approaches the counter at the center of the room. "Let me guess..." She sits on one of the bar stools. "Beijing? No. Shanghai? Or maybe a small place unknown to tourists that only you know the location of..." she adds playfully.

Finishing dispensing the food to the different plates on the counter, Clark looks up at her with a lopsided smirk as he licks his fingers. "Err... nope. Tsung-Law Restaurant from around the corner. You know, the one across the street from the bus stop." He can't help a genuine laugh in front of her surprised face, then adds, "You know, Tsung-Law accepts dollars at least."

She rapidly joins his giggling as they start to eat. The whole meal passes, punctuated by their laughs and casual conversations, an implicit consent between them both to not invoke any of the upcoming threatening events. Once again, Clark is left mesmerized by the way that they don't have to voice their needs to be in tune with each other. Gazing at her as she talks about a myriad of unimportant things, he lets her warm voice carry him away to better places, places where he wouldn't be an outcast, a visitor, an icon... He would just be Clark Kent, son of a farmer, promised to a long career in journalism. The walls of the kitchen fade gradually to give way to the sight of a house in the suburbs; not very big, but yet a very charming little house with a well-maintained little garden and a view of the sea. A car parks in the alley and Clark gets out of it, two grocery bags under his arms. As he shuts the door of the car with a swift movement of his foot, Jason and a young red-haired girl the reporter knows in his heart is his own blood appear at the front door and run too him, soon followed by Lee, who smiles gracefully upon hearing their laughs.

"Clark?"

Clark is brought back to reality suddenly. Blinking, he looks around, slightly dazed. _What the..._ "Yes?" He finally says.

"Hey, are you still with me?" Lee asks, her head slightly tilted to the left as she picks up the last bit of the sweetheart cake.

The young man sighs, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "Yes, of course..." Noticing the unconvinced expression she has on her face, he immediately adds, "Hey, why don't you wait for me in the living room while I make us some tea?"

"Sure. You'll find the box in the..." she starts, getting up from the stool.

"... the third cabinet from the left. I know." he finishes, smiling slightly.

Waving her hand in a playful manner, Lee leaves the kitchen and heads to the couch. Sitting there, she leans comfortably against the fluffy pillows, rocked by the sound of the quiet agitation in the other room and tasting the sweet feeling of having someone around. She smiles broadly even when she hears him whistle softly as he works. _That's how things should ever be... always_, she thinks.

**CRASH! **

Suddenly she hears a loud clinging noise in the kitchen, followed by a few others. "Clark?!" she screams as she jumps out of the couch and throws herself in the direction of the kitchen, not caring the least bit when her right knee hits the corner of the coffee table violently. "Clark!!"

Reaching the frame of the kitchen door, she calls him again, "Clark!" Trying to calm her pounding heart and anxious breaths, she takes a few seconds to listen. _A breathing, heavy and labored... Here... no, there..._ She walks carefully across the room in the direction of the counter. Under her feet, she feels porcelain cracking. Guided by the panting breaths, she leans forward, her arms outstretched. "Clark?" she says lower this time.

As her hands touch his soft hair, then his shoulders, she immediately kneels at his side. "Oh, god, Clark..." she whispers, her voice trembling from worry. "Clark... what happened? Talk to me..." She tries to gently shake his body leaned limply against the cabinet.

As blackness slowly fades away, the distant echo of a familiar voice reaches Clark. The disturbing, swirling lights of the ceiling are the first things he sees when he opens his eyes. He shuts them immediately, but a low groan escapes his throat as dizziness invades him, making his stomach lurch, his recent dinner threatening to come back uninvited. Slowly, as Lee's pleading calls talk to his consciousness, chasing the fog away from his mind, his eyelids flicker open. With a tremendous effort, he manages to focus his vision and looks at his surroundings, trying yet to understand what he's doing here, sitting on the floor with broken dishes all around him.

Terrified by his silence, Lee runs her hands nervously over his hair, his shoulders, his arms, his chest. _He can't be hurt. He can't be hurt_, she keeps repeating to herself like a litany. Her own breaths harden when she feels the coolness of the skin on his hands laid palm up on the floor. Frantically, she cups his face to verify. Cold, his cheeks and forehead are awfully cold. Returning to his hands as hot tears start to swell on her cheeks, she rubs them frenetically one by one in a vain attempt to warm them up.

"I... I'm ok," Clark finally manages to whisper between two labored breaths as he sees the panic in her eyes.

"No, you're not ok!!" she suddenly screams out of shock and frustration, bursting into tears.

Clark grabs her, his arms encircling her shaking frame. Forcing her head to lean into the crook of his neck gently with his broad hand, he starts to rock her softly, his other hand massaging her back. "Shhhh..." he tries to sooth her, ignoring the subsiding pain in his back and the general numbness in his lower body.

_He's not even trying to deny it._ Her own body shaking violently, Lee drenches her rage onto his neck, her cries resonating loudly in the room, her hands clutching the collar of his shirt already soaked by her uncontrolled tears. "I... I... don't... want... I won't... let you die..." she cries between sobs.

His own eyes wet and shining, he dips his nose into her silken hair, rubbing his cheek against it as he holds her a little closer against him, clinging to her as he clings to life. "I know..." he simply says. _I know..._

* * *

Perched on the upper catwalk in the vast hangar, Lex contemplates his creation. The giant jet, still captive in its metallic cage of scaffolds, is waiting patiently for his hour of glory, the moment it will take off and will make him a god.

The crystalline melody of his cellphone cuts Lex's reverie off. He quickly retrieves it from his pocket and opens it, taking the call. "Yes," he says dryly.

"Mister Luthor! You were right. Superman contacted Lois Lane. He said that the landmass will explode in six days!!" a frantic voice says at the other end of the line.

Rolling his eyes, Lex answers, "...and?"

"He... he announced that he would take care of it with the help of S.T.A.R. Labs and Wayne Entreprises, Sir."

Now narrowing his eyes, the bald man asks, "How? When?!"

The other man hesitates, "Err... White didn't give any details during the meeting, but I assume it will be explained in Lane's article. She's due to have it ready for tomorrow morning's edition."

"Fine. When it's ready, send me a copy." With that Lex hangs up the phone, a dark expression on his face. _That freak... I should have known he would try something._

Storming out of the hangar, he grabs his phone again, dialing a quick number. "Lebedev... join me in the lab, will you?... I don't care that you're in the middle of your dinner! I want you there in two minutes," he barks, disappearing into the dark corridor. 


	31. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30: Faith**

_Silence._ Lee slowly wakes up from her restless slumber, stirring under the multiple blankets. It takes her a few moments to realize that she's laying on the couch in the middle of her living room, alone... He's gone, again.

Rubbing her face to chase away the remains of grogginess, she sighs, remembering the last hours. When she found Clark passed out in the middle of her kitchen yesterday, her whole world shattered to pieces. He did not deny once what she deduced: he is dying. They stayed like that a long moment, leaning into each other against the counter, both oblivious of the time passing, of the shattered dishes and fallen stools all around them, Clark still rocking her in his arms, not willing to let her go until her crying faded. Eventually, her sobs subsided, replaced by shaky breathing, yet she wouldn't leave the shelter of his neck, rocked by his calm heartbeat.

"I'm sorry," she finally heard him say softly. Rising her head up, she wanted to speak, but he added, "I'm sorry for having broken your dishes."

Frowning, she genuinely wondered whether he was serious or was trying to lighten the mood or escape the seriousness of the situation, and it angered a part of her to no end. Frustrated, she wanted to scream; she even wanted to slap him in the face for being so inconsistent, but she realized that it was his own way – his 'Clark' way – to deal with his fears and to apologize for the pain he was causing her. That's what he had tried to prevent the other day in Centennial Park when he tried to push her away so clumsily; save her the pain of losing him... Sighing, she caressed his cool cheek tenderly, her anger fading as quickly as it had come. "You're cold. Let's get you out of here." She got up and pulled on his arm as hard as she could to force him to stand.

Clark hauled himself up, holding onto the counter for support, and they walked quietly out of the kitchen and to the couch in the living room where he let her help him lay down.

"Here. You stay still while I go get some blankets for you," she commanded.

When she came back and proceeded to tuck the blankets around him, remembering the last time she had done that, oblivious of who he was, and musing about the asset of her innocence by then, she suddenly felt his broad hand take her wrist, pulling gently at her.

"Come here... Please..." he whispered.

She complied hesitantly, sitting at his side then she let him pull her closer, inviting her to lay beside him as he moved to leave enough room for her on the couch. When her head rested shyly on the crook of his shoulder, turning her back to him, she felt broad arms enveloping her as he moved the blankets back over them both. A welcoming warmth immediately overwhelmed her and she felt his strong body pressed gently against hers, fitting perfectly, protecting her. His heartbeat was so calm and steady and his breaths, now back to normal, were even and warm, teasing the skin on the back of her neck. _Why couldn't it last forever_, she wondered, _why now?_

"When I went on that trip to find Krypton, I was exposed to an awful amount of pure kryptonite which had been created when our red sun went nova and irradiated the entire planet. I was badly contaminated... and I barely made it back to Earth..." he started, his voice calm and soft, his right hand rubbing her shoulder lightly.

As she listened to him silently, fighting the growing knot in her throat, he went on telling her everything, from his poor landing in Smallville to his last night spent at Bruce Wayne's Manor where he found out he was dying, his decline initiated by the remains of Krypton and now hastened by repeated exposure to the orbiting landmass. With his body already fading from this illness, it was a miracle that he survived the ordeal on New Krypton and Luthor's savage stabbing. His wound refusing to heal and his exhaustion growing day after day should have been enough to alert him, but it seemed that this disease was also altering his ability to think straight. For the first time, as he spoke softly to her, he seemed not to restrain himself; she could feel it by the tone of his voice, he was finally giving himself to her, and it was doing him some good obviously.

He went quiet for a moment, letting her absorb the weight of it all, then he whispered, a subtle but obvious tiredness in his voice, "I made a promise today... to a little girl." She felt him shift and snuggle closer to her, his nose lost in her hair, his warm breathing against her neck. "I promised that Earth would be safe." His right arm closed on her, joining his left one around her frail body, hugging her from behind. "I never should have made such a promise. It was arrogant of me..." he said, his voice cracking.

Leaning back against the inviting shelter of his body, she grabbed his powerful arms with both hands, squeezing them gently. "It would be arrogance only if you failed. Superman never lies... you have to remember that, and everything will be alright."

"I wish it was that simple..." The sudden groggy tone in his voice betrayed his loosing fight against sleep.

"It is... It's called Faith, Clark. Your real power is not in your strength or speed or heat vision or whatever over physical powers you have; it is in you, in who you are. You'll overcome it all and I'll be here to help you." Hearing a tired sigh escape his mouth as she sensed his arms heavy on her, his broad hands loosing their grip slightly, she added, "Clark..."

"Hmm?" he mumbled, nuzzling contentedly into her hair.

"Promise me that you'll fight this... with all your might..."

"I promise," he replied immediately without any hesitation and it warmed her heart.

"Clark..."  
"... Hmm..." This time it came more as a sleepy moan.

"I was serious when I told you that I would not let you die..."

His heavy rhythmic breathing was her only response, betraying his fall into slumber. Closing her eyes, she focused on his heartbeat, and let it rock her to sleep.

Sighing, she comes out of her reverie and wanders her hands over the coffee table and finds the tv remote, quickly powering the tv on. Putting on her favorite news channel, she listens to it while grabbing the blankets and heading to her bedroom.

"... and Superman is expected at the White House at eleven am for an important joined Press Conference with President Whitmore..."

Smiling softly, Lee hugs the blankets to her chest, thinking a moment while hearing the newscaster debate the latest Daily Planet exclusive about the Man of Steel and the tremendous change in New Krypton's explosion deadline. As a sudden resolved expression darkens her face, she walks to her phone. Grabbing it, she dials a number by memory and waits for the line to be picked. A deep masculine voice answers almost immediately:

"Bruce Wayne here, hello?"

* * *

Later in the morning at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a tall man in his navy blue NASA training suit crosses the long hall sheltering Genesis, the resurrected private space shuttle saved from its doom by Superman himself, the day of his unexpected return.

"Commander! Commander Yeager!!" a young man from the technical crew calls out while running to him.

Yeager greets him as he stops, out of breath, before him. "What is it Curtis?"

"Commander, you should come to the conference room right away!" Curtis says frantically. "New Krypton... It will... it will..."

"Whoa, calm down buddy," the forty year old man says, tapping his shoulder sympathetically, his smile never living his face. "What is it with NK?"

"Come see by yourself, Commander, it's on all the TV channels!" With that the young man runs back to the business quarters.

Yeager follows him, intrigued. When he arrives at the conference room, it is crowded already, people pressing together to see the news on the different monitors on one side of the opposite wall. His old friend, John Williamson is there too, captivated like the others.

"Hey Joe! What's all the fuss..." Yeager says, approaching his long time friend.

"Seems like our precious little billionaire kiddo had the insight of his life when he ordered us to get Genesis back in working order in just three days. New Krypton will explode in less than six days! They had... miscalculated the deadline..." This last sentence is spoken with a tint of disbelief.

"... miscalculated?! What the..." but Yeager, his smile frozen, is cut off by Lee Aaron, his co-pilot.

"Shh... the press conference is about to begin." The thirty-seven year old man says, silencing the other two.

On the TV screen President Whitmore appears, his usual confident smile in place. "Ladies and Gentlemen, as you all know by now, a miscalculation led us to think that the landmass known as New Krypton would explode in a month. The real deadline is in five days and twelve hours exactly." He holds his hand to calm the assembly of reporters gone frantic by the official announcement ending permanently any residual speculation about the early morning Daily Planet's reveal. "There's no need to worry, though, as a way to prevent the catastrophe has been found."

The questions are already firing from the impatient journalists, but the President simply ignores them for now, still displaying his unfaltering smile. "But before we answer your questions, I'd like to let Superman himself take the floor here." With that he holds his hand friendly to the side, looking at the right corner of the scene, hidden by a thick curtain.

As the Man of Steel appears, joining him in a few ample strides, a storm of camera flashes illuminates the room, his name called out a myriad of times by the reporters, wanting to get his attention. Aware of the millions of eyes on him at that moment, Kal-El concentrates strongly on not letting anything filter from his exhausted state. When he left Lee early in the middle of the night, weeded out of sleep by a newscast on his own tv left on in his apartment, he knew that he would be allowed no more rest for the night. Reluctantly leaving her apartment after having cleaned up the mess in the kitchen at super-speed, he took off to Australia to take care of a giant bush fire spreading dangerously in the north of a little town named Tamworth. A good deal of other rescues all around the world and a few hours later, he was back to S.T.A.R. Labs, where Hamilton told him about the Press Conference organized by the White House at his former request. He didn't even bother to go to the Daily Planet, praying that Richard would not be too mad at Clark for this and used the remaining time instead to take a well deserved and appreciated sun bath in the lower stratosphere somewhere in the southern hemisphere, away from the cruising landmass and its deadly radiation.

Waiting patiently for the heavy racket to die, he looks at the assembly with a calm expression, his lips slightly pinched together and his eyes meeting each individual personally. When he feels the room is quiet enough, he starts to speak, addressing not only the persons in the room but the entire world, too, the conference being relayed simultaneously in various countries. "I was sent to Earth when my home planet, Krypton, was destroyed some decades ago. I was an orphan, I had lost my home, my parents, my world." He pauses as his clear sapphire gaze wanders slowly around the assembly, and magically the reporters listen to him quietly, their urgent questions dying in their throats, transfixed by his imposing presence. "When scientists thought that Krypton still existed, I had to see it for myself. That day I made the worst decision of my life and I left Earth for five long years, not only to find nothing but a graveyard there, but also the sordid realization that I had left my real home behind. I lost my home world once; I won't let that happen again as long as I live. That's the promise I make to you all today," he finally says, looking straight at the main camera.

As soon as he's finished, the first impatient questions are asked. Faster than the others, the first reporter stands up and calls out, "Superman, Steve Kirk from Fox News. How do you intend to push New Krypton away now that its size represents a little more than half the size of Nevada?"

Kal-El looks at him directly to answer. "Well, I'm counting on the fact that the gravity will be weaker at its altitude and I'll use the force of its own cruising trajectory to rip it out of Earth's orbit for good."

Another reporter stands up, barely letting him finish his last phrase. "Why do you need a space shuttle to take you there? In what way is S.T.A.R. Labs involved in this? You've always managed all by yourself; why would you need support all of a sudden...? Did you conclude a financial deal with Wayne Enterprises to promote their space shuttle?"

"If you read the articles related to the landmass from Miss Lois Lane at the Daily Planet, you know that its crystal structure is entirely laced with kryptonite." Kal-El states, a little smirk on his face, silencing the tactless journalist instantly. "I'm not about to fail because of it. That's why I was offered the help of Genesis to escort me there, shielding me from the radiation for the time necessary."

A woman in the far end of the room raises her hand. "Katrin Weber from RTL Aktuell," she says with a slight German accent. "What makes you sure that this mission will be a success?"

The Kryptonian looks at her intently. "The only thing I'm sure of, Fräulein Weber, is that I'll do everything to protect Earth from this explosion."

"And what will ensure us that you won't fly away again, leaving us to deal with this monstrosity from your world?" a spitting voice says from among the crowd, eliciting an increasingly loud rumble in the assembly.

Whitmore, who has stayed behind Superman the whole time, is about to interfere but Kal-El simply holds his hand to stop him. Fixing the average old man who has said that with his gaze, he sees fear in his eyes and it breaks his heart. He hurt a lot of people when he left in the first place and he hates himself for that. With his gaze soft and kind on the man, he answers, silencing the room immediately, "My fate will be no different from the one of the people of Earth; you have my word on that, Sir."

* * *

As the press conference is shown on the LCD monitor in his office, Perry leans back into his armchair contentedly. _That's our boy... _he thinks, a little smirk gracing his face. 


	32. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31: Rex One**

Pushing the heavy wooden doors open before him, an imposing gray haired African-American man steps into the crowded Ace O'Clubs. It's almost noon and the bar is full at this hour. Looking around through the dim, yet cozy atmosphere, he scans the place. _There she is_, he thinks, spotting the young red-haired woman seated at the counter a few meters away with a white cane at her side, sipping absently at her coffee.

"Miss Rogers?"

Lee tilts her head up in his direction, smiling softly. "Yes? Mister Fox, I presume?"

The man smiles back gently, taking a seat beside her on one of the bar stools. As soon as he's fully seated, Joe comes over to him behind the bar. "What can I get you, Sir?"

"A beer, please," Lucius says.

They both wait silently until Joe serves him a beer and a glass then walks to the other corner of his counter, knowing by instinct when his customers need privacy.

Lucius is the first to speak, "So... Bruce told me that you wanted to talk about... his friend..."

_His friend... Well, I still find it hard to believe that Clark considers this billionaire his friend. The man seems so... unlike him._ "Well, actually, I would have preferred to discuss this matter with Mister Wayne personally, Mister Fox..."

"Please, call me Lucius."

"Well... Lucius... I'm not entirely comfortable with the fact that anyone other than Mister Wayne is aware of... well; you know... my acquaintance with _him_... "

"Miss Rogers..."

"Please call me Aileen."

"Aileen, if Bruce has decided to let us meet each other, I'm pretty sure that he has good reasons. My only purpose here is to help him keep an eye on his friend's safety as much as I can, considering current events, and that's why I'm here in Metropolis, helping Pr. Hamilton get his lead-lined space suit ready for the day after tomorrow," he says, his voice gentle and low.

"Mister Wayne told me that you did some tests on... my friend. What did you find? Is there a way to cure him?"

"I'm afraid that this question will be left unanswered for now, as time is working against us. All I can say from what I found out so far is that his metabolism is deteriorating fast..."

"But, if New Krypton is pushed away from Earth, won't there be a chance for him to heal, since he'll be freed from the radiation?" Lee says, hope in her voice.

"I honestly don't know... The push in itself, even with all the precautions we're taking, will be a tough moment for him. No one on Earth can imagine the amount of effort he'll have to produce to do this or the effect it will have on his condition..."

The weight of Lucius' words falls heavily on Lee, and an image comes to her mind that she so strongly wants to chase away; the image of Clark floating, dead, into the depth of space, out of reach... _alone_. Fighting the tears threatening to come, she inhales deeply, "Assuming that... he still has enough strength to push that thing away and come back... would it be possible to stabilize him... I mean, in order to give you enough time to study him and find a cure or something?"

The average old man looks at her, sighing, seeing the genuine love in her eyes. Understanding implicitly how close she is to the hero, he tries to be as clear as he possibly can, "Aileen... All we can do now is try to keep him as strong and healthy as possible until the launch. The better condition he's in now, the better our chances will be to get him back. Let's concentrate on this first; we'll worry about the rest later, don't you think?"

"You're right." She takes another gulp of her coffee pensively. "What can I do to help?" she suddenly says, her expression hardening.

"Well, if you have any influence on him, try to make him rest and get some sun as much as possible. You probably know more about his usual habits than we do, so I'll leave it to you."

She sighs, already knowing perfectly well how stubborn he can be. They've known each other for such a short time, but she has a pretty good idea about how he functions. "I'll try," she simply replies.

"Fine. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go back to S.T.A.R. Labs. There's a special suit waiting for my attention," he says, standing up and patting her left arm friendlily. Fumbling into his pocket, he retrieves a green bill that he tosses on the counter, enough to pay for both drinks.

"Thank you Lucius," the young woman says, gratifying him with a trustful smile.

Smiling back, he hands her a small card that he places into her hand. "If you need anything, call me. Here's my number... I'm sorry, I don't know how to put that in Braille."

Smirking, she says, "Don't worry, I'll manage."

As she puts the card into the safety of her purse, Lucius walks away and soon disappears behind the massive doors.

* * *

"What's the problem with this guy?!! Where the hell is he, now?"

"Richard, I'm sure he has a good reason..." Lois says, barely looking up from her screen as her fiancé paces the floor of the bullpen in front of her desk. She's just about to finish up the last touches on her article about Superman's press conference.

Richard looks at her quizzically all of a sudden. "Lois."

"Hmm?"

"Since when do you defend Clark Kent?" he says, quite irritated. "A few days ago, all you wanted to do was to just rip his heart out of his chest! Did I miss an episode or what?"

Biting her lower lip, Lois finally looks up at him. _Richard is far from being an idiot..._ "Well, let's just say that I feel pretty awful to have doubted him. I think he's suffered enough from all that crap and... Well, despite his appearance, Clark is a really good reporter, Richard, and if he's not here, then it means that he must be out following a serious lead..."

Holding his hands up in surrender, the assistant-editor says, "Ok, Ok! Well, if Mister 'Airstream' happens to pop in here eventually, just tell him that I've gone to the airport to investigate as planned."

"Ok. Oh, and I'll call you as soon as Inspector Sanders gets here to show those ID photos to Jason. Maybe it will give us some serious leads to get to Luthor," Lois says, her gaze returning to her screen.

"Lois!" Richard suddenly warns her, lifting an eyebrow. "You're assigned to Superman and NK, remember?"

Feigning innocence, the beautiful reporter rolls her eyes. "I know... I have my ticket ready for Florida and in a little less than two days I'll be right there at Kennedy Space Center to cover the launch. Don't worry; I am as ready as I can possibly be. But until then, I have basically nothing left to do but wait, so..." she says with a smirk.

Giving up, Richard sighs, smiling softly. _That's one of the reasons why I fell for her, _he thinks. "All right. Call me if Jason recognizes any of those thugs." He kisses her on the forehead and leaves.

* * *

Random snoring fills the dark room, lit only by timid rays of sun filtering through the thick curtains. The massive, half-naked figure sprawled on the bed barely reacts when the door opens, creaking quietly. Without warning, a piercing sound is heard, and the luxurious room is suddenly bathed in pure sunlight as the curtains are drawn apart sharply.

"Hmph..." moans the man on the bed, trying desperately to hide from the striking light, covering himself with the covers and pillows. "Alfred... I told you... Hmmm... not before one PM..."

"It's half past two already..." a deep voice says, a quite amused tone coloring it.

_That voice..._ Bruce's eyes snap opened but he regrets it immediately as the light blinds him, sending bolts of pain into his skull. "Wow..." he growls, holding his right hand protectively over his eyes. "Don't you know that bats and handsome, young, spoiled billionaires are nocturnal?"

The tall man, whose frame now blocks most of the light coming from the ancient window, lifts an eyebrow quizzically.

While rising up to a sitting position and grabbing the shirt he had tossed on the floor a few hours earlier, Bruce says, "Great performance at the press conference by the way. I especially liked your little answer to the guy who thought you had sold your soul to the holy green bill."

Kal-El looks at him dumbfounded. _So he saw the press conference._ Scrutinizing his friend a little more closely, he notices the circles under his eyes and the pale shade of his brow. _Since when does this idiot not sleep_ _more than two hours in a row_?

His mind clearing rapidly, the billionaire stares back at the tall Kryptonian. "Hey! What the hell are you doing in my bedroom, anyway? When I asked you the other day if you had a bed, that wasn't exactly an invitation."

Kal-El's mouth drops open, his cheeks turning bright red, but he decides to ignore the comment. "I came here to ask you something." He turns his back away from his friend mechanically to continue, a part of him being ashamed to face his own limitations. "I'd like you to keep my son safe here with you."

Bruce looks up at him, surprised. "Your son? Here? Clark, I'm not sure..." but his words die in his throat when he sees the deep sorrow in his friend's eyes as he turns back to him.

"I'm not at ease knowing that Luthor is still out there threatening him, and I can't keep an eye on Jason every single minute. Besides, I know that you have the installations necessary to survive a possible nuclear war under here, even a flood..." the hero says, pointing at the floor, then looks back at the other man, his gaze now resolved and unfaltering. "If I don't manage to push that landmass away, I want you to take care of him and... his parents for me."

A heavy silence settles between the two until Bruce's expression hardens slightly. "Ok. But one thing, Clark. Caves are good for bats, but not for young kids, so you'd better not give me a reason to keep him there for the next twenty years, do you understand me?" he says, holding Kal-El's gaze.

The other man just nods, pinching his lips together. "Thank you."

As the tall man turns to leave, the billionaire adds, "Hey, wait a minute. I also have something for that reporter guy, Kent. If you happen to see him soon..." he says mockingly.

Kal-El simply rolls his eyes and takes the envelope that the other man holds out to him. "Is this about the kidnapping?"

"Yes. You were right. The explosions in Metropolis were not a coincidence; they wanted to keep you busy. I may have a lead to where the explosives came from, but I need more time. It's not much yet, I know. With the whole NK mess, I'm not as efficient as I should be."

His gaze softening, the Kryptonian says again, his voice deeper, as if to emphasize his words, "Thank you, Bruce. Really."

"You can thank me by staying alive, buddy. I don't think I want to become the greatest hero in the world, you know? Staying in the shadows is much more my taste, and your shadow is pretty big," Bruce says with a little smirk on his face.

Kal-El smiles at that and walks to the door slowly, not even trying to hide the stiffness in his back from the other man.

"I guess it's useless to ask you to just rest in the cave until the launch," Bruce tries unconvincingly.

"And I guess it's useless to try to get you to stop asking," the caped hero replies jokingly.

"I just hope that Miss Rogers will have better luck than me at trying..." the billionaire says, peering at his friend's reaction, which is immediate.

"What..."

"Listen; take it from a man who has miserably failed with his own love life. It's too late for you to push yourself out of her life for stupid, honorable reasons. All you can do now is not let her heart suffer from empty memories. You owe her that, and you owe that to yourself, too... even if it's just for a short amount of time..."

Stuck at the frame of the opened door, Kal-El stares at a blank spot on the floor before him. Closing his eyes, he inhales deeply, knowing inside how true the other man's words are. "I'll contact you later for the details of the launch." Without another word, he disappears into the corridor.

* * *

Lex paces the cold white floor of the lab impatiently. "So…"

"Look at this…" the fat Russian scientist says, holding a small metallic box preciously in front of him. He opens it with his thick fingers to reveal a little shining object resting on a crimson velvet nest.

The bald man takes it cautiously and holds it between two fingers before his eyes, gazing at it avidly. "Perfect… This is art. Fine Art!"

Kitty, who is standing shyly at one side of the room, her plush dog in her arms, stares at the pointy little object. _A bullet?_ Her eyes widen slowly.

"And you've seen nothing yet!" Lebedev says proudly, taking the bullet from Lex's hand. "Made of pure titanium, the shell will be able to resist any pressure without deteriorating, keeping its precious load intact until…" He suddenly lets the bullet drop into a big glass vial filled with water. Before Lex and Kitty's mesmerized eyes, the bullet head suddenly separates into four greenish crystal parts, like the blooming petals of a flower. A dark green liquid immediately pours out of it and soon mixes with the water.

Lex's eyes widen with anticipation. "Is this…"

"Da. As soon as the bullet meets any saline liquid – blood for example – it will open and release our little _mixture_. The inside of the head is filled with kryptonite for better penetration," the scientist says, a wicked smile showing his yellowish teeth. "But that's not all… Look more closely at the shell now."

Luthor leans closer to the vial, staring at the now opened shell. Suddenly an even tinier object is ejected from it. Squinting his eyes, he follows it as it floats up and away from the bullet and seems to have a life on its own.

Lebedev catches it with pliers and puts it carefully in a small vial under a microscope. "Come and look at this." As the bald man rushes eagerly to stare through the ocular, he adds, "Let me introduce you to Rex One, the smallest miniaturized AI tracker in the world; a little gift from our friend Shaffer."

Lex looks, amazed, at the six tiny little sharp legs of the tracker robot, moving fluidly as it tries to escape its glass prison. The scientist continues, "This little beauty is designed to emit a signal locatable anywhere in the world from a few hundreds feet under the ground up to two hundred miles above the surface. Its localization is accurate down to an inch. It is programmed to find its way into the arteries up to the heart, where it settles, anchoring itself into one of its sides, leaving it impossible to... "

"Impossible to be taken out, almost undetectable, and eventually, it could even cause a fatal heart attack," Luthor adds, the excitation barely hidden in his voice.

"The icing on the cake, shall we say. Well, assuming that he has a heart…" Lebedev adds, now laughing openly, eliciting a wave of nausea from Kitty, who still watches from her corner of the room, her expression disgusted.

Lex straightens back up, rubbing his hands contentedly. "Perfect! Just what I need to keep the little bugger at bay! I'll track him wherever he goes and I'll destroy his whole world before crushing him myself with my own hands!!" Spinning around suddenly, he looks at the young woman, who instinctively jumps with a start. "Catherine … It's now time to show me just how wonderful a partner you are, my Dear."


	33. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32: partners**

Richard leans back in the driver's seat of his car, comparing his different notes. The little hour spent at the airport was quite fruitful; he has been given a copy of the fax Clark was supposed to have sent the other day to reserve the jet. Maybe the phone number on it would lead them somewhere, although the police had found nothing so far behind it. Lost in his thoughts, the assistant-editor jerks slightly when a sudden shadow blocks the light from his left window. Turning his head, he sees two big cups of coffee held by two broad hands in front of a tweed jacket and an all too recognizable old-fashioned tie. Smirking, he pushes a button.

As the window slides down, Clark bends down, an embarrassed smile gracing his face. "Err… Hi… Richard… I… I'm sorry for this morning… I…"

Weirdly unable to hold a grudge toward the tall man, who now stands awkwardly beside his car, shifting his weight from one foot to another, Richard laughs and says, "Get in," motioning him to walk to the passenger side.

Clark complies and in a few ample strides, he finds himself at the other side of the car. After a few unsuccessful attempts to open the door without spilling the coffee over him, he finally manages to climb into the car with a little help from his colleague. Clumsily handing one cup to the other man, he tries to settle as comfortably as possible in this space almost too small for his long, sore legs. Although he does his best to hide it, Richard seems not to miss the stiffness of his moves.

"Had a bad night?" the young man says, remembering the haunted look of the reporter the day before at the announcement of New Krypton's coming explosion.

"Yes… I… fell asleep on the couch…" he says honestly.

"Oh… Tell me about it! I know the feeling…" Richard answers, a little smirk on his face. Seeing the surprised expression on the tall reporter, he clears his throat. "Well, ahem… Anyway, I got a copy of the fake fax they received here and a few descriptions of the men who took off in that plane the other day. I also got a few descriptions of a tall man with a scar on his face, just like Jason said," he says proudly, happy to know that he's not as rusty an investigator as he thought.

Shifting his side to retrieve the envelope that Bruce gave him a few moments ago, Clark reaches behind his back, muffling a moan in the process as the movement awakens his wound. A hazy black veil passes before his eyes, but he manages to control the pain by drawing a few deep breaths. Miraculously, Richard doesn't notice anything as his phone suddenly rings in his pocket.

"Hello? Oh, yes Lois... Really?" His eyes widen slightly. "Great! Oh, Clark is here with me. We'll be at the office in a half... Yes... Love you too, Honey."

Clark, chasing away the last remnants of ache, looks sideways at his colleague during his last words exchanged with his fiancée, and a weird bittersweet sensation invades him. Ignoring the thought, he asks, "Good news?" Not that he didn't hear everything.

"Yes! Jason could identify four of the men who kidnapped him and Lee. Lois said she could get a copy of their ID."

Clark smiles at that, knowing perfectly well how his beautiful partner must have maneuvered to get that information from the cops. Gazing out through the window, he remembers the few times where her charm got them the best scoops. _Lois… Things were so simple then… and I was so naïve, too…_ he thinks, his smile fading from his face.

"Clark… Clark? Earth to Clark!" Richard finally says, half amused, half irritated to see the reporter drifting away into his own world again.

Clark almost jumps in his seat when the words finally reach his ears, bringing him back to reality abruptly. "Oh… Sorry!" He adjusts his glasses nervously on his nose and opens the envelope resting on his knees. "I got some info about the explosions in Metropolis. They were timed precisely to keep Superman busy while Jason and Lee were taken. See…" He opens a photocopied map of the city with the explosion sites marked in red with the exact time they occurred. "They were set to go off in a precise order and timing."

Richard looks at the papers with great interest. "How could they know that Superman would immediately try to rescue Jason?" he says more to himself.

"Because he's precious…" Clark says without thinking, remembering the angel face of his son the night he visited him in his room; the night he learned that he was a father, that he was not that alone anymore.

"What?"

The reporter notices the alarmed look on Richard's face. _Kent! Hello, you idiot! You're not supposed to know that Jason is Superman's son. _"Err… I mean… Lois is precious, not Jason… well he's precious, too, of course but… his mother…" Seeing the assistant-editor narrowing his eyes dangerously, he stutters, "Well… I mean… not precious but… Well… Everybody knows that Lois is Superman's… well she practically… is his personal… press agent…" The last words die dramatically in his throat as his face turns a crimson shade under the quizzical glare of the other man.

A long terrifying moment passes until Richard's crystal blue eyes soften slightly, and Clark realizes he hadn't taken a breath the entire time.

"Yeah, I guess that's common knowledge," the assistant-editor says, almost bitterly. "I think you're right. In a way or another, they kidnapped my son to get to Superman. Well, with that settled, our main goal now is to find out who they are and if Luthor was really behind this," he adds, knowing perfectly that that's indeed the case; no one over than that maniac knows about Jason's true origins, but that's something he can't even imply before the tall reporter. "Let's go back to the office to check on those IDs Lois has for us, ok?"

"Sure, I'll make a few calls there, too, about the phone number you got," Clark says, relieved to finally drop the awkward conversation. Yesterday, he didn't bother to think about how complicated it would be to run this assignment with Lois's fiancé without giving out too much information, and now he knows perfectly that the other man made the exact same mistake. _What have I gotten myself into? As if my life wasn't complicated enough already!_ he sighs, reaching for his seat belt.

"Oh, Clark…" Richard suddenly says as he's about to start the engine.

The reporter looks at him, apprehensive.

Looking straight ahead at his steering wheel, the assistant-editor finally says, "Sorry for having gotten you into trouble with the cops. It was stupid, and…"

Clark's gaze softens as he cracks a little smile. "That's ok, Richard. You were just a father willing to protect his son."

Richard looks at him, his piercing gaze meeting Clark's clear crystal one. Despite the thick glasses he sees compassion in those pale eyes, goodness, selflessness… "Thank you."

* * *

Rubbing her temples tiredly, Lee leans back into her swivel chair, making it rotate back and forth slightly, upset after having just asked another random colleague what time it was for the umpteenth time today. She hasn't heard anymore news about Clark since the press conference on the monitors, and it's driving her mad. Since her discussion with Fox, her thoughts have been swimming, all the possible scenarios for what might happen whirling around in her mind. _I have to find a way to force him to rest… But how? I can't just kidnap him and lock him in the apartment… Besides, he needs the sun… _She runs her hands through her disheveled hair in sign of frustration.

"Blank page syndrome?" a familiar voice comes from behind her.

She smiles. "Jimmy! I didn't hear you walk up."

Hopping up to sit on one corner of her desk, the young photographer smirks. "Huh, I guess either you've lost your acute perception, or I'm getting better at this," he says jokingly. Since Mister White's intervention yesterday, the things have gone crazy here and the young man desperately tries to lighten the mood around him.

"Yeah… let's assume it's the second option," she replies half-heartedly.

Noticing her saddened expression, Jimmy frowns. "What did _he_ do this time?" he asks, his protective self resurfacing instantly at the pitiful sight of his blind friend. "Gee! I really have to talk to him, man to man, you know?"

Amused, she pats his thigh. "It's not Clark, Jimmy. He is adorable. It's just…" Her expression darkens as she's unable to find a good way to express what she's really feeling now without giving away too much, and she wonders how Clark has lived all along with all these secrets. It shows her another dimension of the great solitude he's had to carry with him throughout his life, and it pains her even more.

Oblivious of the real cause of her turmoil, Jimmy takes her left hand gently. "Hey… You heard the press conference; Superman will look after us all…" he tries to reassure her.

"And who'll look after Superman?!" she answers in a harsh tone that stuns her young friend. Immediately regretting it, she wants to apologize when a warm, broad hand rests gently on her shoulder.

"I'm sure that even he has a special someone to rely on," she hears Clark's velvet voice say. Kneeling down on one knee at her side, he lets his left hand leave her shoulder to rest on her back. He looks up, meeting Jimmy's concerned gaze, and nods to him.

The photographer takes the hint immediately and leaves them both alone, winking at the reporter conspiratorially. When Jimmy's far enough away, Clark looks back at Lee, his heart heavy at the sight of her sad expression.

"I'm so sorry, Clark," she says, embarrassed. "I shouldn't have said that. I…" she continues, her eyes now filled with tears.

"Hey, it's ok." Rubbing her back gently through the wool of her pullover, he ignores the barely hidden inquisitive stares aimed at them both from around the bullpen. He doesn't care anymore anyway… in fact, he feels a certain satisfaction about it. _Hey, look you all! See, Clark Kent finally has a life! _he snarls to himself, acknowledging the tragic of the situation.

Relaxing instantly under his soothing touch and voice, Lee rubs her eyes with the back of her hand quickly. _Something is different with him… maybe this is my chance… _"Clark, I was thinking…" she starts, but his deep voice interrupts her.

"I still have a few things to take care of here, but how about we call the rest of day off when I'm done?"

Lee's eyes widen as her mouth drops opened. "Su… sure!" she stammers, blinking.

He laughs softly at her surprised expression then, standing up, he squeezes her right hand. "Ok, see you later then."

"See you…" she whispers, her voice barely audible as he walks away smoothly.

* * *

"Ah, Clark! Lois was just showing me the files on those thugs," Richard says excitedly as the tall reporter enters his office.

"Swell," he simply replies, his gaze meeting Lois' briefly. "Hi, Lois," he adds almost shyly.

Lois returns his soft smile, mouthing, "I need to talk to you," silently as her fiancé is hunched over the different papers and files spread over his desk.

Clark nods slightly to show her he has read her lips, and turns his attention back to the papers, closing the door behind him.

* * *

A moment later the reporter is back at his own desk, about to pick up the phone when Lois comes to him, a few printed papers in hand.

"Clark, I was wondering if you could…" she makes a funny swirling move with her fingers over her printed article, too embarrassed to end her query.

Clark looks at the sheets of paper, his acute eyes already spotting a few typos here and there, then looks back up at his colleague's slightly blushing face. He cracks a lopsided smile and takes the sheets from her hand. "I'll proof-read that for you, Lois. No problem."

"Thanks…" she says, with a timid smile."Like the good old days, huh…" she adds tentatively.

"Like the old days," he replies, lowering his eyes in an indefinable expression.

Chewing on her bottom lip, she leans on the corner of his desk. "Clark… I'm concerned about Luthor. He can't have done all that for nothing, and with what… Superman is about to do the day after tomorrow…" she says, her voice very low to prevent anyone around from hearing her.

"I know…" he says, sighing slightly. "I wanted to talk to you about that as a matter of fact."

She looks down at him, frowning as he writes an address on a small card and hands it to her.

"I'd like you to take Jason there as soon as possible," he says, his eyes slightly pleading with her, yet his expression has nothing to do with the usual puppy-dog-eyed Clark.

Lois' eyes widen suddenly at the name and address on the card. "Bruce… Wayne?"

His voice now deep and steady, he looks her right in the eyes. "Bruce is really a _trusted_ friend. Jason will be safe from Luthor there and…" He inhales deeply before continuing, his eyes never leaving her gaze. "If something goes wrong with New Krypton in two days… I want you and Richard to join him there. The manor has… specific facilities that will protect you all."

"But… you can't… fail…" she starts to stammer, a sudden knot in her throat. _You can't fail! You said that it would work. You assured me…_

"Lois… Lois!" he says a little more firmly, his hand grabbing her arm to calm her. "I will do the impossible if necessary, you know that… but you must understand that I have to take all possibilities into consideration."

She dips her eyes into the pool of his crystal blue gaze. Seeing strength and some sort of serene resolve there, she feels her heart calming gradually. _You'll do whatever it takes; that's all I need… Everything will be ok._ "Ok, I'll ask Richard to fly us there tomorrow after work, then I'll take a plane to Florida from Gotham Airport."

Relieved, he sighs. "I'd better escort you there…"

"No, you'll be busy enough, and besides…" she looks at him with a smirk. "I'm a big girl."

Clark snickers slightly. "I know." His gaze falls on Richard's office, where Jason and his dad are giggling together, looking at a comic book. "Thank you Lois. It will be easier to focus on my tasks if I know that… Jason is safe," he says softly, still looking at his son through the glass doors with love and sorrow in his eyes.

Following his gaze, Lois feels her chest tighten. A pang of guilt striking her, she puts her hand on his upper arm, feeling his warmth through the fabric of his sleeve. "Clark…"

His hand comes to rest over hers gently and he cracks an honest smile. "It's ok Lois. Actually…" his gaze now turns to Lee at her desk further down in the alley, and his eyes seem to light up.

Lois smiles and says, "You deserve to be happy so much, Clark." She looks in the blind woman's direction. "You're special and you deserve a special person."

He looks back at her and for a long moment their gazes lock, all the unspoken emotions flowing freely, all grief, all misunderstanding gone. Clark suddenly feels warm inside; the kind of warmth that comes from the heart, and he knows that she feels the same, he sees it in her eyes. Never, in all the time that he's known her, has he felt so close to her, and it feels like liberation, a rebirth.

"Ok…" she finally says, her hand leaving his arm. "I think I'm going to call it a day now and take my little family home for some quality time!" she says, forcing a joyful tone in her voice. "I advise you to do the same, fellow partner."

He laughs at that, the word 'partner' delighting him. "Actually, that's what I had in mind too. I just need to make a few calls regarding those interesting IDs we have on those thugs and the phone numbers, then I'm off. Oh and this…" he adds, pointing at the few pages of Lois' article. Looking sideways so that no one can see him, he takes a red pen and then starts to correct the many errors in the text. His hand moves so rapidly that it soon becomes a blur under his colleague's widening eyes. After just a few seconds, he hands the pages back to her, a satisfied grin on his face.

Lois takes the pages, still slightly warm from the fast friction, her mouth dropped open. Looking back and forth between the tall reporter and her article, her stunned expression slowly morphs into a Machiavellian grin. "Oh… I can so foresee our future investigations together now that you won't need to hide your… 'special talents' from me."

Lifting an eyebrow, Clark looks at her as she leaves him. His eyes clear into a lighter shade. I_ would have been thrilled to investigate with you again, partner…_ With a sigh, he turns his attention back to the phone on his desk. _Just a few calls and I'm off…_

_Oooooooooooooo_


	34. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33: quality time**

When Clark comes to get her, Lee has already shut down her computer and cleaned up her desk a little.

"Ready?" he asks as he takes her coat and helps her put it on.

"Yes. Where are we going?"

"How about we continue that walk in Centennial Park? That would be a pleasant way to take in some sun, don't you think?" he replies, leading her to the elevator lobby.

"Swell!" she says jokingly, eliciting a surprised glance from her tall friend.

They soon disappear behind the glass doors, their laughs fading as they enter one of the elevators.

* * *

Sipping his fourteenth cup of coffee of the day, Bruce glares at the giant screen as it displays a suite of codes and a bar showing slow incremental progress. He doesn't move when Alfred comes up behind him, a full pot of steaming coffee in hands.

Depositing it on the large tablet at the computer's side, the butler says, "Must I remind you, Master Bruce, that caffeine is definitely not considered real food?"

"Hmm," is the only reply he gets.

Looking at the screen, he adds, "Have you found anything about the criminal records Mister Kent sent you earlier?"

Serving himself another cup of coffee, Bruce replies, "Nothing yet. These thugs seem to have no relation among themselves," pointing at the faxed pages. "My guess is that they were hired for just this job; some low life mercenaries according to the police department database. This guy, however…" He stares at the scar-faced man's file, narrowing his eyes over his picture. "Ron Hendricks… I'm pretty sure I've seen this scar somewhere…" he says, rubbing his chin absently.

Suddenly the progress bar on the screen disappears to be replaced by the Interpol logo and a password protected field blinking beneath it. Alfred looks at it, his face paling. "No, you didn't…"

The young man winks at him with a Machiavellian smile, then turns back to his keyboard. "Wayne Enterprises designed the entire Interpol Network system… Lucius just had to give me the right key to enter," he says, obvious satisfaction in his voice. Typing a few keys, he enters the password and the screen toggles to the Interpol portal page. "Here we go…" he says excitedly as Alfred rolls his eyes.

* * *

As they walk under the Centennial Park trees, Clark realizes that his hand hasn't let go of his charming friend's one since he dared take it during their descent in the elevator at the Daily Planet. The sun's rays of the dying day, filtering through the autumn colored leaves, caress his face gently. They're not enough to recharge his solar cells, yet their touch is soothing. Most of all, they grace Lee's blazing hair, their highlights dancing into her untamed locks. _You're so beautiful_, he thinks, letting his feet drag him along the way that follows the lake. They soon find themselves in a isolated place still bathed by the sun, near a giant oak tree and Clark looks thoughtful at a couple passing before them, hugging each other as they walk slowly.

"Can you hear them..." Lee says as she leans against his shoulder.

"What?" he asks, surprised.

"I can hear the trees singing... When I was a little girl, in Iowa, I loved to go out with my dad to the forest not far from our house. He taught me how to listen to the trees... He said that they were singing ancient songs, and that those songs could change the course of the sun, giving us the seasons. For example..." Resting her hand reverently on the bark beside her, she continues, "...in Autumn, they sing a lullaby to put the sun to sleep, using the sound of their falling leaves to soothe him." Oblivious of the undefinable gaze of her tall friend upon her, she adds, fond memories of the past illuminating her face, "I sat for hours with my dad, silent, just listening to their murmurs until the sunset. Did you know..."

"I love you."

The young woman freezes upon hearing those words. As she turns to him, in total surprise, he lowers his head and kisses her lightly first, then more and more hungrily, his arms soon encircling her, trapping her in his warm embrace.

His lips leaving hers just for a second, he whispers, eyes closed, "I love you, Lee... I'll love you always..." Those simple words coming out of his mouth surprise him as much as her. Breathless, his heart beating a frenetic rhythm, he seems not to be able to stop now... "I love you," he keeps saying like a litany.

"Clark..." is the only thing she can voice before his mouth invades hers again, his tongue meeting hers tentatively in a deeper, passionate kiss.

* * *

After an hour spent on the Interpol network and no more luck in finding anything useful, Bruce leans back into his armchair, rubbing his eyes tiredly. _Think Bruce, think... you've seen this man somewhere..._ Getting up to stretch his legs and back, he walks slowly along the catwalk, running his hand tiredly through his hair. A good time for another cup of coffee, he thinks, smirking at Alfred's earlier comment. As he pours himself the last drops from the coffee pot, something on the wall catches his attention: the stone carved arrow he had framed after the reconstruction of the Manor and installed next to his main console as a lucky charm. Cracking a smile, he runs his fingers on the smooth glass protecting the ancient object. _You made me find this place... and be who I am now._ Looking at the text engraved below it, his expression darkens slightly. _**Why do we fall? So that we might better learn to pick ourselves up.**_ The face of Thomas Wayne smiling down at him fills his mind, but is unfortunately soon replaced by the funeral, as it is in his usual nightmares... Suddenly Bruce's eyes widen madly.

"The funeral!"

Running back to his keyboard, he types a few keys frantically. The screen toggles to his personal archives, showing scans of newspapers articles and photos, all related to the murder of his parents. Flipping through the different screens nervously, he suddenly stops when an old black and white photo appears, showing the burial ceremony and its attendants. A young boy, _him_, is held by the hand by Alfred, and on his other side stands Earle. His fingers dancing on the keys expertly, Bruce zooms in on the ex-CEO, his eyes narrowing. _There... There you are..._ Earle is talking to a man with a fresh scar on his face. _Hendricks... _

* * *

Flying back east, high above the Pacific ocean, Kal-El lets the photons feed his body as he picks up more speed with a swift move of his arms. When he had to leave Lee a few hours ago, it broke his heart. They were halfway back to their apartment building when he heard the news on a random TV; a train had just derailed near Moscow. She didn't argue, but he could see it in her eyes; she was afraid that he would push himself too hard, that he would lower his chances of coming back from his planned mission the day after. _But it's a part of me that I can't deny_, he thinks, _that's who I am_.

As he passes high above the Rocky Mountains, he gains even more speed, eager to get back to her but shy at the same time. They didn't get the chance to talk after he voiced his love for her, and his old ghosts are coming back to him now. Isn't it just selfish to want to enjoy these moments with her when he knows that they'll soon be no more than just bitter memories for her? He knows more than anyone that the ones who suffer the most are those who are left behind. The closer he gets to Metropolis, the more he hesitates.

Hovering now high above her apartment, he risks an eye into it, but what he sees stuns him. The living room is filled by a warm, soft light, many candles placed in various spots in the room. The couch and table have been pushed aside to allow room in the center where a few blankets, some duvets, and pillows are laid randomly. A frugal picnic is set out on a red tablecloth... _But where is she?_ He wonders, though he doesn't dare push his vision up through the bedroom door. The sole idea of getting back into the comfort of her arms chases his ghosts away and he finally floats quickly down to the balcony, careful to not be seen. Looking at his suit, slightly dirtied by his rescue, he concentrates quickly. _I won't mess up her apartment twice. Ultrasonic will do for now._ An almost invisible wave runs through his body, instantly disintegrating any remnants of dirt. Ready to knock on the French door, he realizes that it's been left ajar. Upon entering, he immediately feels warmth hitting his face. Has she turned up the heaters or what? "Lee?"

"I'm here Clark."

Startled, he turns to see her coming from her bedroom, a vaporous summer dress floating around her hips, a scarf in hand. "Lee..." he whispers, "what..."

"How about a little picnic under the trees?" she says as she walks to him. Reaching him, she adds, her hand touching his crest. "I don't have your powers, but I can fly you to a beautiful place... if you let me... Do you trust me?" she asks tentatively.

Emotion flooding him, he struggles to speak. "Y-yes..."

Taking the scarf into both hands, she presents it to him. "First, you need to enter my world..." She senses his heartbeat accelerating. "Don't be afraid, my world is not that scary," she tries, her voice soft and calm.

"Wait... my suit..." he says suddenly, his hand already coming to his crest to trigger the transformation process, but she stops him, her hands grabbing his.

"No." She forces his hand back to his side. "This is a side of you I want to know, too."

He smiles at that, relaxing instantly, and lets her cover his eyes with the scarf, bending slightly so she can tie it behind his head.

"And don't cheat, ok? It won't work otherwise," she says in a falsely scolding tone.

"Ok," he replies playfully.

"You... don't see through your eyelids, do you?" she asks suddenly, frowning.

"No, no! Of course not! It would have driven me mad for all those years if it was like that."

"Oh, of course. I guess that was silly... Right, now you just come here." She leads him to the center of the room, over the different blankets and leaves him there.

Kal-El, sensing her walking away, aims his hearing at her heartbeat to help him relax in the face of the odd situation.

"Listen to me now. We're in a hot summer evening in Iowa. Do you know Iowa?"

"Yes, I've been there a few times..." he says, shifting uneasily from one foot to another.

"Good." She switches on her CD player and suddenly the room is filled with field crickets chanting, wind in the trees, the murmur of a river close by.

Mesmerized, the tall hero starts to relax, his lips curling into a growing smile.

Lee continues, walking back to him and grabbing his hands to force him to sit at her side on the blanket. "The ground is covered with thick grass and..." referring to the candles, "...the last rays of sun dance through the branches of the giant trees above us, their warmth pouring over our skin. Do you see them?"

"Yes..." His left hand slowly roams up along her bare arm. entering her game, he adds, "...and I see you... so beautiful in that dress, the sun dancing in your hair..." His fingers now run through her red locks, then wander down on her face, tracing her full lips.

Melting beneath his touch, she grabs the scarf and pulls it off, her hands zooming to his hair. As their mouths lock finally, Clark lays her down on the blanket gently, leaning over her, his left hand caressing her exposed thigh, wandering up under the silk of her dress.

"Clark..." she pants.

"Kal-El... my birth name is Kal-El..." he whispers.

* * *

Facing the giant mirror beside her bed, Kitty stares at her reflection. Her eyes dark as the night, she looks at herself, then at the plush dog on her bed. _It has to be done... it's the only way..._ Her knees giving in, she suddenly slumps on the floor, bursting into tears.

* * *

Staring at the dark ceiling, illuminated only by the pale light of the city at this hour of the night, Clark sighs. He just woke up a few minutes ago, his beautiful lover's frail body loved against his, sharing her human warmth with him, having kept him safe. Surprised to not have been waken up earlier by any emergency, any call for help, he strains his special hearing to listen to the city and the different sounds of the world. At first, nothing but the torpor of the quiet night echoes in his ears, as if the world itself is in pause, expectant of the next day to come, and from it, the future or the lack of it, but soon more sounds come gradually to him until he hears the sirens, the cries. A wave of panic fills him immediately. _The world is not quiet; I was just too tired to hear it!_ he thinks, afraid to have failed in his mission to help and protect. Concentrating, he listens more carefully and manages to tune in on a TV somewhere in the neighborhood, probably still left on by an insomniac. Fires, robberies, a wreck in Los Angeles, but nothing that absolutely requires his presence. Policemen, firefighters, and rescue teams – _the real heroes_ – had done their job while he was sleeping and are continuing to do so.

Lifting his cape carefully from Lee's naked body, then placing a warm duvet over her, Clark gets up, rapidly grabbing the rest of his suit and putting it on in a blur of motion. He then walks to the front door and, after a quick look at his young lover, he opens it, careful to not make any noise, then disappears behind it.

A second later he's in his apartment, and decides to keep his suit on as he'll probably go for a little ride around the world before returning to the warmth of his lover's embrace. _No time to waste now_, he thinks, smiling sadly. Heading to his desk, he switches on the light and sits before it, opens a drawer, and retrieves a few sheets of paper and his favorite ink pen. Taking a deep breath, he starts to write:

_Dear Aileen, my tender Love,_

_If you hear Bruce read you this letter, it means that you're now safe in his lair, and that I have failed to push that landmass away..._


	35. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34: The trap**

Daily Planet – the evening before the launch.

Looking at his watch, Clark leans back in the swivel chair tiredly before Lois' desk. _Almost eight pm already_. He and Lee came late this morning and Perry, of course, barked at them both. The rest of the day went smoothly, Richard mostly handling the international department, leaving Clark free to work in the office, disappearing from time to time. _An almost normal day_, the reporter muses as he picks up the article he's supposed to proof-read for his colleague before she comes back from Florida. _Almost normal if it wasn't possibly my last one..._ Tonight, after taking Lee back to her apartment, he'll go to see Ma and Ben, just to be sure that the nuclear strike fallout shelter they were talking about is safe enough... _just in case_... He'll then leave his last recommendations with Bruce, taking the opportunity to see his son.

The phone rings suddenly. Clark grabs it absently, still thinking about the pleasant conversation, one of the firsts in a long time, he had with Lois before she left with Richard and Jason a few hours ago for Gotham. "Daily Planet, Clark Kent speaking..."

"... Err... can I speak to Miss Lane, please?" a woman says on the line. At the sound of her voice, Clark freezes instantly. _This voice...__Call me Catherine... _he remembers. _Catherine Kowalski, Luthor's girlfriend..._ Trying to sound casual despite of his growing excitement, he says, "Err… Lois Lane is not here at the moment. May I take a message for her?"

Silence meets his question at first, then the woman answers, her voice unsure and hesitant, "I'm Kit- Catherine Kowalski. I... I need her to give a message for Superman."

His heart beating fast, the reporter leans forward, trying his best to fake surprise. "Su- Superman?! But… Wait… Kowalski? Wh..."

"Please... I don't have much time... He's... he has already launched his thugs after me... I need to meet Superman... I have something important to give him," the woman says frantically. Clark's eyes widen at that statement. "Just... just tell him to look for me near the Logan Bridge... at nine pm."

"Wait... how are we supposed to give Superman the message? We don't even know how to contact him!" Clark says quickly. He is so excited at the prospect of finding Luthor finally that he almost forgot his own cover.

The woman pauses a second then answers, "Miss Lane will know how to contact him." She then hangs up the phone.

Frowning, Clark stays unmoving for a few seconds. _This is my chance._ He quickly stands up and crosses the short distance to his own desk. As he grabs his coat hastily, a hand on his back stops him.

"Clark. What happened?" Lee is standing just behind him.

He looks down at her, still wondering how she always manages to startle him, appearing like this from nowhere. "I just had Catherine Kowalski on the phone," he says simply, all too aware that it's useless to try to lie to her.

She grabs his arm. "What? Kowalski? Luthor's girlfriend?"

He nods. "Yes. She wants Superman to meet her in about an hour at Logan Bridge."

Lowering her voice until it's barely more than a whisper, she says, "But, Clark... if it's a..."

"A trap? I'm pretty sure it is..." he whispers back, checking their surroundings to be sure no one can hear them. But at this hour, almost everyone is gone. "I have to go anyway. It might be my only chance to find a way to get to Luthor." His right hand brushes her left cheek gently. "And besides, Catherine Kowalski might really need my help."

The smile in his voice makes her sigh. _He'll never change, always ready to believe in the good we're supposed to have in ourselves,_ she thinks. Is it naivety or ultimate awareness? The truth is, that's what makes him more human than humans themselves. "Clark, I really..."

He presses his index finger to her lips to shush her. "I'll be extra careful, I promise." Seeing her frustrated expression, he lowers his face, his lips brushing her left ear. "Hey... don't worry. I wouldn't want to miss my appointment with New Krypton tomorrow," he whispers then gives her a little kiss on her lips.

She opens her mouth to answer, but she already feels the coolness of the air as he steps away, heading to the elevators. She just stands there in the middle of the alley. _I have a bad feeling about this._

* * *

The cool night air brushes his face as he flies high above Metropolis, thankful that Catherine Kowalski chose this moment to ask for him. The landmass is right now cruising over the other side of the planet, leaving his sore body some welcomed respite. He used the spare hour he had to recharge in the lower stratosphere, though, just in case... Keeping his distance cautiously, he scans the area of the Logan Bridge, ignoring the chilling wind that runs over him at this altitude, and lets his telescopic sight wander among the streets and buildings, detailing each bystander, each car, and each rooftop until something catches his attention.

His dark sapphire eyes squint a little as he looks closer at a certain area on the rooftop of a high and old building. _She's here,_ hidden in the shadow of an aeration system. Taking his time, he observes her; her expression is frantic and her body is shaking slightly under her long fur coat. She's holding a... dog-like plush? What became of her little dog? Raising an eyebrow, he continues his inspection. A rapid x-ray scan reveals nothing suspicious under her coat except for extremely salacious lingerie exposing her breasts and... _Oh God! _Heat rising on his cheeks, he looks quickly away, scanning the rest of the rooftop. Sighing from frustration, he realizes that this building, like most of those in this old district, is laced with lead, giving him almost a headache just trying to get a clear vision of what lies beneath it all. Still, he sees nothing out of the ordinary. Starting to wonder if it's really a trap after all, he gives a last wide look at the area and initiates his descent toward the rooftop.

As soon as she spots him, she straightens up and takes a few steps, leaving the shelter of the shadows. Unable to keep her eyes away from him as his feet gracefully touch the rooftop a few meters away from her, she is once again mesmerized by his divine presence, his natural masculinity contrasting so beautifully with his genuine naivety. _He's like a lost child in the body of a god,_ she thinks to herself as her eyes wander over his perfect muscular body.

Keeping all his senses in alert and starting to feel embarrassed by her insistent gaze upon him, he says, "Miss Kowalski. I heard that you were looking for me."

Her somehow empty eyes meet his. "I asked you to come because I have something for you..." she says, her voice surprisingly cold and expressionless, contrasting with her flirting behavior during their first meeting a few weeks ago.

The hair on the back of his neck rises suddenly as something rings out in his mind. Instinctively, he steps back but everything happens too quickly: the slight movement of her hand over the collar of her pet-toy, simultaneous clicking sounds all around him, and the instant slicing pain seizing his body. Placed at strategic points all around the rooftop, lead-lined boxes open simultaneously, revealing chunks of kryptonite.

A deafening buzz fills his ears immediately as his body reacts to the rocks, his vision blurring and nausea sending bile up into his throat. Staggering, he tries to back off in a vain attempt to escape the deadly radiation, but his knees buckle and his body quickly goes numb, barely sustained by his shaking legs. Awakened by this new poisoning wave, his unhealed wound screams its presence in his back even more, sending bolts of pain along his spine.

Suddenly, through the haze of agony, he sees the young woman open her coat and reach behind her back. When her hand reappears, it's holding a gun that she points immediately at him. _Oh, no…_ Time seems to slow down for Kal-El. Before his eyes, a recurring scene from his recent nightmares seems to repeat itself: he can't move, his feet glued to the ground, his body unresponsive, broken. This time though, it's not just a dream; the gun aimed at him is real. He's forced to watch, helpless, as her finger presses the trigger, as the bullet is thrown by the explosion with a deafening noise. His eyes follow, horrified, as the deadly piece of metal swoops down at him in slow motion. With all his might, he tries to move to the left but his body seems petrified. He hears himself cry out as the bullet cuts through his right shoulder, passing his weakened aura easily, piercing his skin and digging deep into his flesh until it connects with his bone. Intense, white flashes of light blind his eyes, followed immediately by darkness.

Kitty watches, her eyes glittering, as the hero falls backward, shoved by the impact of the bullet she just fired. Ignoring his heart-rending cry and the thud his back makes as it connects with the hard concrete, she starts to walk to him slowly, her gun still pointed at him, her shaking hand clasped on it tightly. As she slowly closes the space between her and the fallen man, she sees his writhing frame shaken by ragged breaths.

Darkness is quickly replaced by an unforgiving awareness, and Kal-El realizes that he's lying on his back on the ground. Wheezing, he feels his lungs constrict even more, denying him the air he's begging for. Radiating from his new wound, unbearable bolts of pain run through his body, making him feel like he is being ripped apart piece by piece. _Kryptonite, the bullet has kryptonite inside… _Helpless, he sees the woman slowly walking toward him. With his blurry eyes fixed on the gun she's still aiming at him, he tries to back away. Leaning on his left elbow as his right arm is totally limp, he tries to crawl on his back, but he has to give up soon as the simple pressure of his cape he's lying on, pulling against his neck, is too much for him already.

As she's approaching him, Kitty moistens her lips nervously, the scene before her eyes seeming to hypnotize her. The strange, unexpected beauty of the precious blood flowing out of his wound, soaking his bright blue suit, its dark red shade enhanced by the crimson of his cape, the delightful sight of his body exposed and totally helpless as his muscles tense uncontrollably under the pain, the suggestiveness of the moans escaping his shivering, full lips and the beads of sweat wetting his brow, his raven hair now disheveled and falling over his forehead, the surprise in his beautiful clear eyes… All this sends warm waves throughout her body. As she steps over him finally, planting her high heels on his cape, her ankles brushing his hips, his futile attempt to crawl away from her sends shivers all over her spine.

After having put her toy down at his side, she slowly kneels, finding herself straddling him in a very suggestive way, her coat slightly parted as Kal-el fights a new wave of nausea. Struggling to stay conscious, he chokes as the simple fact that the woman is leaning over him like this seems to deprive him from the rare air he needs. Disgusted, he feels her hand running over his trembling chest and belly, her nails teasing and burning his over-sensitive skin through the fabric of his suit. Her fingers then follow the shape of his shield and go up to his neck and chin, easily holding it in place when he tries to turn his head away. _Why is she playing with me like this? Why doesn't she finish me? Where's Luthor? Why doesn't he show up?_ In a vain attempt to get away from her, he tries to push her away with his left hand, but she quickly immobilizes his weakened arm with her right knee. Still holding his chin firmly, she leans closer, her face now just a few inches above his. Surprised, she doesn't see fear in his eyes as expected, but frustration... anger...? Or is it... _resolve?!_ Quite startled, she doesn't notice the swift movement on her left. Before she can react, her gun is knocked away from her hand.

At her sudden hesitation, Kal-El had seen his chance to do something. Despite the pain and general numbness of his body, he managed to regain control of his right arm and disarmed her quickly. Taking advantage of her utter surprise, he now grabs her neck, his fingers tensing on her soft skin.

Choking, the young woman panics. _It's not supposed to happen like this... He's supposed to be paralyzed, weakened... Lex told me... _she thinks, her eyes wide from fear. With both hands she grabs his wrist frantically to escape the iron grip on her throat, but it's no use; despite his state, he's still too strong for her. All he has to do now is tighten his grip a little more until she faints from lack of oxygen. Beneath his fingers he feels her rushing pulse, betraying her fright, her wide, dark eyes pleading with him. Suddenly he sees her lips move silently. _Please… Read my lips…_ Fighting to keep his vision clear, his strong grip unfaltering on her neck, his eyes slowly widen as she tries to mouth a few words. _He's looking at us right now… please, trust me…_

A few seconds, which seem to be an eternity for her, pass until his gaze softens suddenly. His hand releases her neck and falls back numbly on the ground by his side, eliciting a groan from his throat as the movement strains on his wounded shoulder. His eyelids close despite his will as exhaustion seizes him, and he barely reacts when she plants her left knee on his right arm, pinning him down, preventing any new attempt at rebellion. Regaining her confidence, she looks down at him with an indefinable expression then she leans over him again, her face just a few inches from his, and whispers ever so slightly, "I told you I had something for you…"

A sudden, familiar sensation strikes his right hand as she discreetly places a smooth object in it. _This smoothness, this warmth, this particular shape... It's the Father Crystal!!_ Dumbstruck, Kal-el looks in her eyes frantically, his fingers tightening shakily on the beloved mineral. Fueled by hope and joy, he tries to straighten up, opening his mouth to speak, but Kitty presses on his chest immediately and plants a frantic kiss on his lips to silence him. "Quiet..." she whispers softly into his mouth as he gasps again for air. His eyelids close tightly when another intense wave of pain, triggered by his last moves, takes over his body.

Trying her best to ignore the fallen hero's agonized moans, Kitty wanders her right hand languorously through his hair and over his cheek and neck, running the tip of her tongue over his shivering lower lip while, with the other hand, she surreptitiously hides the crystal he's holding by covering it with a fold of his cape. Then, with her lips, she follows the ridge of his chin and grabs his right earlobe with her teeth. Careful to whisper as low as possible, she says, "Now listen to me carefully... There's a tracer in the bullet... He'll be able to track you down wherever and to whoever you go to..." Kal-El's eyes widen at that. Seeing that he's struggling to speak again, she quickly silences him with her index finger pressed on his lips.

"Shhh" Leaving his face, she straightens up and speaks loud enough to be well heard, "I have a message from Lex for you, Superman: it's time for you to retire and let this world die on its own. There will be a new era and you're no part of it. With the great nations reduced to nothing, the world will beg for Lex to save them."

Kal-El looks at her frantically. _Luthor wants to let New Krypton destroy the world. He'll let millions of people die just to achieve his sick plans._ He wants to speak but it's definitely too much for him. Giving up, he lets his head fall back numbly on the concrete, closing his eyes, slowly losing his battle against unconsciousness.

The sound of sirens rises up in the distance, closing in quickly. Getting up hastily, Kitty grabs the gun, which has been thrown a few meters away, then gathers the chunks of kryptonite set all around the roof, placing them back in the pockets of her coat. As she walks to the service door, ready to disappear behind it, she stops and turns to look at Superman one last time. His prone form is now bathed in a dark pool of blood, his pale, sweating face turned to her, his barely opened eyes pleading with her. Fighting the growing knot in her throat, she slowly shakes her head, a single tear escaping her left eye._ That's all I could do to help… _Grabbing the knob, she opens the door and quickly vanishes behind it.

* * *

Comfortably reclined in his leather armchair, Luthor looks at the giant screen excitedly. Unable to suppress a contented smile, his eyes stare at the hero sprawled out on the concrete. With his hand slightly shaking from excitement, he pushes a button and the image zooms in, showing him more details of the formidable result of his genius plan. The last ten minutes have been the most enjoyable of his entire life... maybe even more than the holy moment where he planted that chunk of kryptonite in the freak's back. Shuddering with pleasure, he grabs the Martini that was waiting for him. "Now let the game really begin," he says, swallowing the liquid in one gulp. He presses another button and a second screen comes to life, showing what looks like a precise map of the city and a flashing dot in its center. 


	36. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35: fallen**

Stepping into the bullpen, Richard looks at his watch. _Ten past nine pm…_ With Jason at Wayne Manor and Lois on a plane to Florida, he didn't feel like going back to their now empty house alone, deciding instead to spend the night in his office. Work is still waiting for him there anyway; at the eve of the shuttle launch with Superman on board, his entire international staff is in war footing already. Dragging his feet tiredly along the aisle, he suddenly notices that he's not alone; Jimmy is seated next to Lee's desk, listening to the Police radio with her and they both look concerned.

"Hey, what are you two doing here this late? Shouldn't you both be at home now? Tomorrow is the big day and Perry won't suffer any delays!" the assistant-editor says half jokingly as he lays his coat on a swivel chair nearby.

Jimmy turns to him. "Oh, Mister White! I thought you had left for the day a few hours ago."

"Well, I had to come back… Still have some work to do for tomorrow…" Richard answers quickly, not wanting to give away anything about their trip to Gotham. Taking his son to a man he doesn't know much about, apart from what he has read in the gossip news, on the sole trust of the Man of Steel is stressful enough already, but Lois seemed to be so sure about it.

Leaning slightly on Lee's desk, he points at the little radio receiver. "Why are you two listening to the police band?"

"Lee's worried about Clark; she thinks he might be in danger right now…" Jimmy says, a serious expression on his face.

"What? Clark? Where is he?"

"I don't know exactly…" Lee starts hesitantly, not sure what to say without making a faux pas. Clark has been gone for more than an hour already and right now he must be meeting that Kitty. She feels ridiculous waiting for him here, listening to the police communications. It's not exactly like they can all fly to his rescue if something bad happens anyway… _I should probably be at home instead, waiting for his return_, she thinks. _He'll worry if he doesn't find me there._

Seeing her hesitation, Jimmy continues for her, "Kitty Kowalski called here earlier; she wanted to speak to Miss Lane."

Speechless, Richard looks at him, dumbfounded. "Luthor's girlfriend called here?!"

"Yes," Lee says. "She wanted Lois to give a message to Superman. She wanted to meet him at nine pm near the Logan Bridge. Clark took the message for her and… he went to the meeting place…" she adds uneasily.

"He… Clark went there on his own!? Is he crazy!?" Richard asks, confused. It's quite hard for him to imagine the mild-mannered reporter going to investigate in a dangerous place, alone; it's not exactly the image Lois has depicted of him, but again she seems to have missed a few things about him.

His blind colleague, a slight tint of frustration in her voice, replies, "With Lois not around, he didn't exactly know how to contact Superman to give him the message so he decided to go there to see if it could lead him to Luthor."

"What a fool…" Richard thinks aloud. "Can't you reach him, on his cell phone maybe?"

Jimmy bursts out laughing despite his will, "Mister Kent? A phone? Hmphh!!" but the glares he receives from his colleagues makes his laugh fade instantly. "Ahem… well.."

"Clark doesn't have a cell phone. It's not… his sort of thing," Lee says simply.

_Why am I not surprised_, the assistant-editor thinks. "Then…" but a sudden agitation on the radio stops him right away.

"All units, shots fired between 36th avenue and Logan Bridge. Code 3."

Lee grabs Jimmy's sleeve nervously while the two men look at each other.

"Ok! Let's go! I'll drive," Richard says, already grabbing his coat and heading to the elevators while Jimmy helps Lee, the pair right on his toes.

* * *

As soon as Kitty disappears behind the door, Kal-El takes a few ragged breaths, trying to gather enough strength. _I can't stay here… I can't be found… If I'm taken to the hospital, he'll know it, and he'll kill them all,_ is all his fuzzy mind is able to think as panic seizes him. Shifting painfully on his side and careful to hide his crystal under his cape, he starts to drag his limp and agonized body by the sole force of his trembling left arm, his fingers clawing into the concrete. With his eyes fixed on the ledge a few meters away, he crawls, crossing the ridiculous distance inch after inch, and each movement, each strain, each tension on his muscles elicits unbearable bolts of pain like he's never felt before; making him moan and groan helplessly. _…can't be found…_

The call of sirens intensifies in his ears, echoing painfully in his head and mixing with everything else until the cacophony itself makes him cry out in agony. Finally reaching the ledge, he leans his back against it, trying to catch his breath. The frenetic pounding of his heart resonates in his head and his chest hurts, tightening as if it's about to crush him inside. His shaking hand comes mechanically to his wound in a vain attempt to stop the pain, his fingers now smeared with blood. _… can't be found…_ He then grabs the ledge, hauling himself up to a standing position, but his shaky legs won't hold him and he instead leans heavily against the ledge, feeling frightened for the first time by the dizzy heights as the ground only a few dozen or so feet below seems to bounce back and forth. Fighting another intense wave of nausea, he tries to gather his thoughts. _… can't be found… can't be helped with this tracer inside… or is it just a lure?_ He tries to peer through his shoulder and chest, spotting the opened bullet quickly then something much smaller moving toward his heart, and his eyes widen in shock when he realizes that the little object is seeming to move on its own. _The tracer! Catherine wasn't lying… _

Looking frantically out at the city, he searches for a place to go, for any solution that might present itself. _Think… think! ...need to get rid of this first… to disable it… _He stares a moment toward the south where the main power plant of the city lies. _It could work… _Inhaling sharply, he gathers all his remaining strength and pushes on his hand with all his might, trying to forget the void below. As the pressure of his fingers crushes the concrete of the ledge, it gives him enough thrust to take the air, hovering a few feet up until he starts to aim himself southward. But he doesn't get far before everything begins to blur around him and he suddenly feels the weight of gravity. As darkness mists his eyes, he plummets into a narrow alley between two buildings a few yards away. Smacking loudly onto the brick walls like the metal ball of a pinball machine, he ends his course, crashing miserably onto the dark and dirty alley and crushing the asphalt in the process in a deafening noise.

* * *

As two police cars screech to a halt on 36th avenue next to the old bridge, a third one, coming from the south, joins them in a flurry of sirens and lights. Sergeant Murdock, an average old man with gray hair and a thick mustache, gets out of his car, grabbing his radio.

"Dispatch, Units 2, 6 and 11 reporting to 36th avenue. No sign of any gunfire here," he says, motioning his men to stay cautious.

His radio receiver crackles. "Roger, Unit 2. We have witness reports that a gunshot was heard somewhere in the vicinity, maybe on the rooftops. The air support unit is on its way."

As Murdock is about to answer, a sudden thumping noise comes from a few blocks away and the ground vibrates slightly under his feet. _What the…_ "What was that?" he asks his partner, who seems as clueless as him, but as they're about to go investigate, the M.P.D. chopper finally appears above them, emerging from behind the buildings.

"Unit 20 reporting. We see what looks like blood on that roof below. No sign of any body though. The roof seems clear," a voice crackles in Murdock's receiver.

Looking up at the helicopter hovering above the building they're parked in front of, the Sergeant pushes the "talk" button. "Roger that, Unit 20. We'll go up and take a look. Stay on alert and survey the area; we heard some commotion to the south a few block away."

"Roger."

Checking his gun, he looks back at his partner. "Ok, let's go."

* * *

In a black sedan parked further down the street, Kitty shifts nervously on the back seat. "What are we waiting for? The police are here… We'll be caught if we stay!"

Completely ignoring her rambling, Hendricks rubs the scar on his cheek absently, peering at the tiny unmoving spot blinking on the screen of the laptop placed on the passenger seat. After a moment, he opens his cell phone and dials the last number in memory. When the line answers, he speaks, his deep, rusty voice giving chills to the woman behind him.

"He didn't get far… He's not moving anymore. I think he's dead; you over-estimated him," He says.

A cynical laugher bursts from the phone. "Dead?! Ahahahaha… No… not this rat, not yet…"

"But what do we do if he doesn't move?"

"He'll move. Now, get back to the waiting point."

Hendricks furrows his brow. "We're not staying to see who will pick him up?"

At the other end of the line, the bald man leans back in his luxurious armchair, gazing at the little blinking dot on the map on the giant screen, and a wicked smile forms slowly on his face, his eyes glinting in the dimness of the room. "No… Don't give him a chance to realize that he's being followed. Beside… it will be so much more fun to try and guess where he'll want to go. Now get out of there!!" he suddenly barks into the phone, then hangs up violently.

Sighing, the mercenary tosses his cell phone onto the seat next to him, then starts the engine. The sedan soon speeds away on the Logan Bridge.

* * *

The coldness of the hard asphalt on his burning cheek feels oddly welcoming to Kal-El as he lays there, eyes closed, sprawled on his right side in the middle of the shallow crater in the alley. The only sound his ears are able to hear now is the erratic beating of his own heart, amplified and painful, mixed with the echo of his battered breathing. A general throbbing has replaced the slicing pain in his broken body and he knows that if he tries to move now it will wake it all up. For a short moment, he catches himself wishing it would all just end right here; the pain, the angst, the fear… _No! I made a promise… _he thinks as his eyes snap opened and his expression hardens suddenly. Gritting his teeth, he starts to crawl again, trying with all his might to forget the pain of his now broken ribs and the taste of blood filling his mouth. _Can't be found…_ His vision now completely blurred, he aims himself at a dark shelter under a metal staircase on one side of the alley where a few garbage bags are disposed. _… Just hide and wait…I just need to get my breath…_ he tries to convince himself, knowing deep inside that it won't get better if he just stays there. Still clutching the crystal with his now bruised hand, he finally reaches the shadows and leans back heavily on the dirty bags. _What do I do now? _He thinks, trying to straighten up a little to a sitting position, but he regrets it immediately as blood fills his throat and makes him choke. Sagging down into the garbage, his right hand falls back numbly on the ground, his fingers loosing slowly their grip on the crystal.

_Father… help me… help me keep my promise…_ is the last plea that passes through Kal-El's mind as his eyes finally close, blood trickling out of his mouth. Now free from the lifeless and bloodied hand, the crystal falls to the asphalt with a faint clink and rolls a few inches away, where a soft light begins to emanate from it, pulsing with a humming sound.

* * *

"We're almost there… Look, there are already police cruisers here!" Richard says, slowing down his car. "Let's park here."

As he stops the engine, Jimmy looks around. "There's no ambulance in sight at least."

Leaned back in the rear seat, Lee tortures the fabric of her scarf nervously, a bitter feeling still in the back of her mind.

"Ok. You both stay in here while I go get some info from the cops," the assistant-editor says with an authoritative tone while he retrieves his press ID card from his wallet. Closing the door, he walks to the nearest policeman.

* * *

Gazing at the roof where he's standing, Sergeant Murdock scratches his head thoughtfully. _What the heck has happened here?_ As his men buzz around, his radio crackles suddenly. Grabbing it, he answers, "Murdock here."

"Sergeant, we have a reporter down there wishing to speak to you."

Grumbling, he asks, "His name and the paper he works for?"

"Richard White from the Daily Planet, sir."

His expression brightening slightly, the sergeant pauses a little before answering. _White from the Daily Planet?_ He answers finally, "All right, let him come up."

A few minutes later, Richard steps out onto the roof, immediately registering the long stain of blood on the concrete, ending on the southern ledge. In his career he has seen a lot of things but the violence underlined here grabs him by the throat. Barely able to tear his eyes away from the sight of it, he crosses the distance to the Sergeant rapidly, holding his hand to him. "Sergeant Murdock? I'm Richard White from the Daily Planet."

Responding warmly to his hand shake, the average old man says, "Are you related to Perry?"

Surprised but delighted at the same time, the young man answers, "Yes. Perry White is my uncle."_ This should make things easier…_

"How's that old crock doing? I'm sure that he must be worse than a slaver right now with all the events to come," Murdock says, his mustache rising as he speaks.

"Err… Yeah… He is… Well…" Richard turns and points at the pool of blood on the floor. "Do you have any idea of what happened here?"

"Not a single clue. The body seems to have been dragged up to this ledge but we have no idea where it is now. I sent my men to look at the alley below without any results. There's a possibility that Superman may have witnessed the scene and taken the victim to a hospital, but so far we have no confirmation on that. The only evidences we have are this plush-toy…" He hands the toy enclosed in a plastic bag to Richard who takes it, dumbfounded. "See… it has its belly completely opened like something was hidden inside, the weapon maybe. Hopefully we'll learn more from the blood samples we just sent to the lab. Ah, we also found a few empty boxes all over the roof. We don't know what they're for or if they are related to the crime, though." Crouching beside the trail of blood, he points at the fresh holes and cracks Superman's fingers made in the concrete when he crawled to the ledge a few moments ago. "And this… is another mystery. It looks like something was trying to pin the victim down and had enough strength to crush the concrete like a jackhammer." Looking sideways at the reporter, he notices his pale face. "You're ok son?"

Gulping around the ball in his throat, Richard tries to ignore the panic that grows inside him. _Clark, oh no…_"Err… Yes… Actually a colleague of mine is missing. He was supposed to follow a lead to this address and left an hour ago," he says, barely able to chase away the horrible image of the body of his poor colleague crushed and ripped apart by whatever deadly machine Luthor had imagined to kill Superman with, the scene running through his head like a bad horror movie and making his stomach lurch.

The Sergeant looks at him gravely. "As long as we don't find a corpse, there's still hope for your friend, son. Give his description to this officer there and we'll try to find him."

"Thanks, Sergeant." The young man says, hypnotized by the red liquid drying on the concrete. Running his hand through his hair nervously, he thinks, _what am I going to tell to Aileen…_

* * *

Starting to feel the atmosphere oppressing in the back of the car, Lee slides the window down for a breath of fresh air. She's tired of waiting but knows that she can't do anything more and it kills her to no end.

Hearing her sighing soundly, Jimmy says, trying to rein in his own growing doubts, "I'm sure he's ok, Lee. Clark isn't a fool. Maybe he thought it was too dangerous to wait here and decided to go back home instead. What do you think, huh? Lee?"

But the young woman isn't listening to him, captivated by something outside the car. As she tried to strain her hearing to pick some of the cops' conversations at the other side of the road, an odd sound caught her attention. Not exactly a sound though, more like… an impression… _a call_… "Do you hear that?" she asks Jimmy suddenly.

The young man, clueless, looks at her. "What? The policemen?"

"No… something…" but she's totally unable to describe it... Yet she hears it, or rather, feels it. _I have to sort this out_, she thinks as she opens the door and gets out swiftly.

"Hey! Mister White told us to wait for him," Jimmy says, alarmed, as he gets out to join her at the other side of the car.

But she doesn't answer, grabbing his arm and starting to walk, trusting her inner hearing to guide her toward that call.

In a last futile plea, Jimmy says, "Lee, I think…"

"Shut up and help me," is the only reply he gets from the blind woman as they cross the street, aiming toward the south.

After a few minutes, and a few blocks away, they finally arrive in front of a dark alley.

"There," Lee suddenly says as she starts to enter the darkness of the filthy street.

"Oh, no you don't! Lee! This looks like a perfect hiding place for muggers and drug dealers!!" the young photographer says while trying to drag her back to the main street.

Once again, the young woman doesn't listen to him and walks in anyway, her arms stretched carefully to not bump against anything. Giving up, Jimmy finally joins her, taking her arm again to guide her, not that he can see much himself in the dim light of the alley. They walk like that until they both almost lose balance when they step down into a slight difference in height in the street.

"Whoa, careful!" the young man says as he grabs Lee to straighten her. Rummaging quickly in his pocket, he retrieves a small flashlight on his key chain and switches it on. The faint light doesn't go far but is enough to reveal the small crater they're standing in the middle of, and most of all… "Bl-blood… Lee, let's get out of here." He says as panic seizes him.

"No…" she says nervously, trying to calm her pounding heart, the metallic sent of blood coming to tease her nostrils.

Jimmy, inhaling deeply to calm his own fear, aims the flashlight at the blood and slowly follows it until the halo of light falls on a characteristic pair of red boots. "Oh my God!!"

But Lee is already on the fallen hero, guided by his faint beating heart. "Oh, no… oh no…" she keeps repeating as her hands run over his limp body. "Jimmy!" she cries. "Go get some help!"


	37. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36: the rescue**

"Jimmy! Go get some help!"

With his flashlight aimed at the blooded body of the hero, the young man finds himself completely paralyzed, cold sweat starting to wet his brow and his knees buckling suddenly. _Blood… there's blood everywhere… so much blood…He… Superman can't bleed…_ "I… I'm not feeling well…" he mutters as he slumps on his knees, knocking the crystal away without even realizing it. It rolls under a dirty piece of cardboard, its humming noise and pulsing light fading instantly.

"Oh God, Jimmy! Get a grip!! We need to take him to the hospital!!" the blind woman says, having found the wound on Superman's shoulder and pressing on it as hard as she can to slow down the hemorrhage.

"Nooo…" Kal-El whispers with a broken and faint voice. "…not… the hospital…"

"Cl-Superman! You're awake!!" Lee exclaims, cupping his deathly cold cheek with her right hand. "Don't worry. You're safe now…"

"No!" he cries out frantically, trying to straighten up but once again the pain is too much and the blood filling his mouth again makes him choke and cough as he slumps down heavily on the bags.

Alarmed, Lee tries to soothe him, smoothing his wet, sticky hair away from his brow. "Shhh… It's ok. Calm down; there's nothing to fear."

"You… you don't understand… he… he can track me… he… he'll kill you… please… get out… get out…" he says, out of breath, trying to push her away weakly but he's now no match against Lee, who presses him back against the bags gently.

"Please… stay put… Jimmy! Quick!!" she says, having a hard time keeping her own panic at bay.

In a final attempt to make his point as he feels himself slowly diving back into blackness, Kal-El grabs Lee's arm with his left hand, squeezing it weakly. "Luthor… he… put a tracer… inside me… can't go… anywhere… he'll kill you all… please… leave me…lea-…"

The young woman feels his grip loosening and soon his hand slumps back limply at his side. "Oh… no, no,no… Jimmy!! Get your sorry ass up and go find Richard for Christ's sake!!" she cries out.

The young photographer slaps himself out of his paralyzed state and gets back to his feet immediately. "Y-yes…" He then starts to run.

But he stops in his tracks when Lee calls out to him again, "Jimmy!"

"What?"

She pauses as if thinking about the different possibilities and adds, "Be discreet…"

Acknowledging what she implies, he nods, "Ok," then resumes his run through the alley.

* * *

Staring intently at the blinking dot on the screen, Luthor sips his umpteenth martini. _Come on, move the alien ass of yours, freak. You can do better than that… Don't tell me that a little kryptonite bullet can get the best of you when a hand sized dagger couldn't stop you from ruining my plans!_

Putting his glass down nervously, he keeps fixing his eyes on the dot as if he could move it just by his own will power, a disturbing doubt starting to tease his so self-confident mind. "Move!" he spits between his teeth.

* * *

Richard looks at his empty car. _Where are they?_ That's when he spots Jimmy walking back fast to him, his expression frantic. "Jimmy! Where is Aileen? Wh-"

But the young man grabs him by the arm in a conspiratorial way, suspiciously eying the policemen. "Mister White… come with me…It's… Superman…"

* * *

Caressing the hero's damp hair tenderly, Lee listens to his ragged breathing, her own heart pounding loudly in her chest. "Clark…" she whispers, "Hold on… please… Why did you have to go there anyway?" Fighting the tears threatening to come, she grabs his left hand and brings it to her mouth to blow hot air on it. _He's so cold… he's never been so cold. Why did that maniac have to do this to him? He was already so sick…Be damned Kowalski and Luthor!!_ she thinks as rage makes her want to cry.

She then hears some steps approaching suddenly in the alley, immediately recognizing Jimmy's gait followed by another: _Richard_. Returning her attention to Superman, she's about to stroke his cheek again, telling him that aid is on its way when she finds herself violently pushed aside by a strong hand.

"Get down!" she hears Kal-El's hoarse voice say, as he tackles her, throwing his body in front of hers. From an inner deep part of his fuzzy mind he managed to sense the two men approaching despite his state of weakness. His blurry vision doesn't allow him to recognize who they are, but he's more than ready to defend Lee's life at all costs and with all the strength still left in him. When the two men are just a few feet away, his eyes suddenly brighten with a red incandescent light dancing into them, ready to strike. _They won't touch her…_

Richard, seeing two glowing red eyes appear in the midst of darkness, backs off instinctively. "Whoa!!" He grabs Jimmy's arm, pushing him aside and ducks fast enough to avoid the sudden ray of heat vision loosely aimed at them. The laser beam hits a metal pole instead, which melts and falls soundly at the other side of the alley.

"Superman!! It's Jimmy and Richard!! Stop!! They're here to help you!!" Kal-El hears Lee shout behind him as she hangs on his left arm heavily to try and stop him from whatever he's doing to them.

_Jimmy? Richard?_ At the utter realization of what he almost did, Kal-El squeezes his eyes shut, a wave of guilt and horror seizing him. _I was… going to blast Jimmy and Richard… Oh my…_ But he doesn't have the luxury to think about his act any longer as great pain radiating from his ribcage strikes him down and makes him cry out in agony. He sags back down heavily into Lee's arms, almost carrying her with him into the garbage.

The blind woman, cradling him now as best as she can to stop his shivers, turns in the direction of her friends. "Richard! We have to get him out of here!"

Coming slowly back from the shock that the Man of Steel just tried to kill him, the assistant-editor says, "Y-yeh... but... we need to warn the cops." He kneels beside the hero with Jimmy on his toes, giving them light. Discovering the horrible state the other man is in with his body covered with blood, he thinks back to the horrible sight on the roof with all that blood and traces of a fight. _Oh, my… that wasn't Clark on that roof… that was Superman!_ He adds, his voice dying in his throat, "He needs medical attention, and fast…"

"But he can't go to hospital or Luthor will find him," Lee replies, her hand finding Kal-El's wound and pressing on it again while her other hand cradles his head against her chest.

Clueless, Richard looks at her with wide eyes. "What?"

"Luthor managed to put a tracer into him and he'll track him wherever he goes. I assume that his plot is to kill anyone who would try to help Superman."

Realizing what his blind colleague implies, Richard feels his chest tightening. Gazing around quickly to see if they have not been followed, he then looks back at her. "Ok. Then, what do we do now?"

Her fingers dancing in the damp, silken hair of her lover, the young woman thinks a few seconds before answering, "I may have an idea; we have to keep moving to lure Luthor. Go get the car and try to not be seen by the police."

Seeing the resolve in her face, Richard nods. "Ok, Jimmy, you stay here with her."

"O-ok," the young photographer answers as the other man soon disappears into the darkness of the alley. _God, let this end well… for all of us._

* * *

Having traded his martini for a cup of coffee, Luthor watches for the umpteenth time the recorded video of his agonized enemy on that roof to pass the time while he's waiting for the blinking dot to move. As he reaches his favorite moment when Superman tries to crawl away from Kitty, failing miserably, he rewinds it to watch it in slow motion, obvious pleasure running down his spine.

Suddenly, in the corner of his eye, he sees the little dot in the giant map starting to move and he swirls his armchair enthusiastically, almost knocking his cup of coffee off the console. By the way the spot follows the lines of the streets, the bald maniac has no difficulty guessing that he's in a car. _Hmm, is he driving? No…Has he been found already… Oh that's so exciting!! Tell me where you're going, little dot, tell me…_he muses, rubbing his hands in anticipation.

* * *

The Audi speeds up on the Logan Bridge with Richard, Jimmy, Lee and Superman on board.

Richard has managed to maneuver discreetly enough to stay unnoticed by the many policemen in the area, parking his car in the alley and helping Lee and Jimmy to haul the now unconscious hero into it.

As he drives carefully to keep low profile, the assistant-editor peers through the rear view mirror at the Man of Steel, laying in the rear seat, his head resting safely on Aileen's lap, his legs huddled up somehow or other in this confined place, and a few blankets over him to hide his recognizable features as much as possible from any prying eyes and to keep him warm.

"What do we do now?" Richard finally asks. _She asked me to drive north, but up to where?_

Her right hand still safely pressed on Kal-El's wound, Lee says, "Keep heading north. We need to keep moving to prevent Luthor and his goons from finding us. As long as we move he'll think that we want to drive Superman to a safe place or a hideout." She then reaches for her purse at her feet and hands it to Jimmy in the front passenger seat. "Here, Jimmy, there's a card in the left pocket with Lucius Fox's name on it." She hands him her cell phone too. "Call the number on it and hand me back my phone."

"Sure, Lee but..." Jimmy asks tentatively, but thinks better of it when he sees her determined expression, trusting her implicitly.

Richard on the other hand, is more and more doubtful. "Who's this Lucius Fox and what does he have to do with... _him_?" he says while looking at the hero, who's face seems to grow paler by the minute, his cheek and neck smeared with glinting blood.

Pinching her lips together, the blind woman lowers her head, her expression elusive as she tries not to show her deep caring for the man resting on her lap too much, thinking once again how hard it must have been for him to live this double life all along and the loneliness he's suffered from it. "Lucius Fox is working with Superman on the shuttle launch project... It's... Clark who managed to get his number..." she says, automatically brushing back a lock of raven hair plastered on the hero's forehead as she speaks.

Richard sees that but doesn't give it much notice as it's a common knowledge that all women seem to fall in a way or another for the shining super-hero. He remembers Lois' words in their kitchen a few weeks ago: _Everybody was in love with him... He was Superman..._ Chasing the bitter thought away, the assistant looks back at the street, saying, "But isn't Fox the Wayne Enterprises CEO? How can he help us now? Don't you think that whole tracer thing could be all made up? I think Superman wasn't thinking straight with all the blood he lost. We should head to the nearest hospital and..."

"Richard. Please... Trust me..." she pleads with him.

Sighing in frustration, the assistant-editor finally nods, sure that he's making the worst mistake of his life. As if he was waiting for his permission, Jimmy immediately dials the number on the card and waits for the first ring to hand the phone back to his friend.

Grabbing it, Lee waits a few seconds before hearing the warm voice of the black man.

"Yes?"

"Lucius? It's Aileen..."

"Oh! Aileen. Is something wrong?"

Feeling Kal-El's head rolling around limply with the jerks of the road, the young woman inhales deeply before answering, "It's Superman..."


	38. Chapter 37

**Chapter 37: the rescue**

Half hidden in the shadows at the bus stop, a few blocks away from his hotel, Fox looks at his watch; _almost ten pm_. When Aileen Rogers called him about half an hour ago, asking him to meet her here, her voice betrayed the urgency of the situation. Superman had been shot; that's all she said.

_Superman has been shot…_ Lucius doesn't really know what he's expected to do about that, but one thing for sure is that if the lady called him instead of taking the hero to a hospital, she must have had good reasons to do so.

He doesn't wait much longer until an Audi comes around the street corner and stops in front of him. The rear window slides down and he hears the blind woman's voice call for him from the shadows of the back seat.

"Lucius? Get in."

The front passenger door opens and he quickly sweeps into the car, meeting the quizzical stare of the driver, a rather young white man in his thirties. The heavy scent of blood and sweat immediately filling his nose, he turns his attention to the back seat where he finds the young blind woman almost disappearing behind the imposing figure of the hero laid uneasily across the rear seat.

The car resumes its course as Lee finally cuts the heavy silence, "Lucius, this is Richard White. He's a colleague from the Daily Planet and a friend of mine."

The young man nods politely, still unsure about the whole situation. "Hi," he just says, concentrating on the road.

Lucius nods back to him kindly before returning his attention to the unconscious man in the rear. Turning his back to the road, he reaches for the blankets covering Kal-El and pulls them away carefully, exposing his bloodied chest heft up repeatedly by panting and hasty breaths, the young lady's left hand pressed to his shoulder. Fresh blood keeps trickling out of the corner of his mouth, running down his neck and staining Aileen's lap. _Collapsed lung… probably punctured by broken ribs… My Goodness… _he thinks behind his gentle and calm mask. _What am I supposed to do here?_ When Bruce asked him to keep an eye on the hero, he never imagined that it could end up in this kind of situation. He'd studied his metabolism quickly to try and come up with something for his illness, but he just didn't expect… _this_.

"All right, tell me everything," he says, looking back and forth at Richard and Lee.

* * *

Jimmy taps nervously on the steering wheel of his old van parked at the rear of a motel in the northern suburbs of Metropolis. Looking at the exuberant neon clock he installed a few weeks ago on his dashboard, he sighs. _Five past ten pm. Geez… what are they doing?_

"Jimmy, do you still have your van?" he remembers his blind friend asking him after she called that Fox guy. "Then Richard will drop you a few blocks from your place and we'll wait for you at the Home Run Motel near the baseball stadium up north, ok?"

_Here I am, Lee… and I brought everything you asked. I hope it will be enough… _he thinks, the horrible image of the fallen hero covered with his own blood dancing in his mind. _What if… he didn't make it while I was gone?  
_A wave of nausea twists his stomach. _No, no… that's ridiculous! Superman can't die…_

Suddenly he recognizes the Audi entering the parking lot. _Oh God! They're here finally!!_ He leaps out of his van, waving at them madly before remembering that the whole purpose of this is to keep low profile.

Parking his car just beside Jimmy's vehicle, Richard immediately gets out, checking their surroundings. There are a lot of cars parked here, which gives them good cover; in the middle of a filled parking lot, with no one around at this late hour and no cameras to survey the lot of the cheap motel makes it easy to hide in plain sight. _Aileen really did think of it all!_ Starting to feel slightly more comfortable with her idea of constantly moving to lure Luthor, he asks her as he opens her door, "Aileen, how did you know that this place doesn't have any survey cameras?"

Untangling herself cautiously from beneath Kal-El's head, she gets out the car. "I know the guy who owns this place. He's blind, too," she says with a faint lopsided smile on her face. "Jimmy?" she calls out, keeping her voice low.

"Yes, I'm here, Lee," the young man answers, eying the tall African American man, who gets out of the passenger's seat, smiling kindly at him.

"Did you find what I asked you?"

"Yes. I brought all the towels I could find, water, and I borrowed a first aid kit from my neighbor," he says, pulling on the lock of the side door of his van. It slides open to reveal a kitschy interior all dressed from the floor to the walls with bright red plush carpet, fake candle light lamps and a mattress covered with fake leopard fur with various zebra colored pillows. The few towels, gauze, bandages and various other first aid items are deposited in a corner next to several McDonald's to-go bags.

Richard and Lucius exchange glances that Jimmy misinterprets as related to the abundance of medical supplies. "Yeah… I told my neighbor that it was for a big dog that I had found in the street…" he says, proud of his idea.

The two men are about to answer when a deathly rattle comes from inside the car. Kal-El has just woken up and, finding himself suddenly lost in an unknown place, he panicked and tried to straighten up, only to have his breath brutally cut again by the piercing pain of his broken ribs digging into his lung. Lee is by his side immediately, her hand resting on his cold, wet forehead to soothe him.

"Shhh… It's ok," she says gently.

Coughing up the blood that chokes him, the hero fights to regain his breath. "… can't be… found…" he manages to say as his eyelids squeeze shut despite his will. Intense waves of heat alternate with coldness chilling him through to his bones.

Sensing that he's losing his battle against panic, the blind woman finds his left hand and squeezes it gently. "Trust me Kal-El… Everything will be alright… you're not alone," she murmurs ever so softly into his ear to be sure that the other men don't catch that, and praying that he can still hear her.

_Everything will be alright… not alone… _These words dance into his mind as he tries to regain a little control over his body, taming his breaths to soothe the pain. _Everything will be alright… _

Lee feels his muscles relaxing slightly and his breathing slowing down although his heartbeat is still hasty. Straightening up, she says, "Richard, we have to hurry up! We've stayed here way too long."

"Ok. Jimmy, help me," the assistant-editor says as he places himself behind Superman's head, starting to lift him by the shoulders, soon joined by the photographer while Lucius keeps an eye on their surroundings to be sure they're not seen.

_Everything will be alright…_ Kal-El keeps repeating to himself as he feels hands on him, igniting more pain in his already battered body. _Not alone…_ Exhaling as much as his injured lung allows it, he lets the ache wash over him, keeping his muscles as limp as possible, concentrating on his heartbeat. _Everything will be alright_…

"Let's go… Jimmy… close… door… …" Voices echoing around him seem more and more distant, the words spoken losing their meaning as his mind shuts itself off, gradually dipping him into welcomed unconsciousness.

* * *

As soon as the dot stopped moving, Luthor immediately took note of the address and now tries to guess the whereabouts of his prey. _Home Run Motel… Oh… a motel… is that where you hide? I expected something classier from you, you freak, like a manor, maybe… _

"What the―" the bald man says when the little blinking marker resumes its motion suddenly, heading north again. _He's moving again? _A sudden cold realization strikes him: _he knows…_

Beads of sweat starting to form on his temples, he grabs his cell phone and calls Hendricks, while typing a few keys on his keyboard to rewind the video from Superman and Kitty's meeting.

"Hendricks here…"

"Get moving and catch up with him!! Leave no one around him alive, and bring him back to me!!" Luthor barks in the phone. _Knowing it or not, that doesn't make any difference, Superman; you're mine and you can do nothing about it!_

Looking at his hands, stained with drying blood, Richard leans back at one corner in the rear of the van. _So much red…_ From the walls to the carpet, the cape of Superman, his boots and the blood, all that mixes and makes his stomach lurch. Closing his eyes, he rubs his hands absently on his pants already stained, too, anyway. _So much blood… How did we end up to this?_ he asks himself, gazing back at the alien hero laid on the mattress, with Aileen and Lucius hunched over him while Jimmy is concentrating on the road. It could have been Clark here… _Clark!! Oh god… we forgot about him…_ His eyes widen and he's about to say something when he sees Aileen reach behind Superman's back with skillful fingers and unfasten his cape. The top of the suit comes next, peeled carefully off from his torso, revealing bruises and cuts and most of all the ugly swollen gash made by the bullet. _He looks… so human…_

Feeling a sudden coldness on his chest and shoulders, Kal-El shivers, his eyelids fluttering opened. _Where am I? _he wants to say but only a groan escapes his throat. Blurred shadows dance over him and he hears echoing voices, probably talking to him. A male voice speaks gently to him but he's unable to recognize the words or even their meaning. _Fear... _

"It's ok, Superman. Do you hear me? We will tend your wound now…" Lucius says as he grabs a bottle of water and starts to pour some on the hero's shoulder to clean some of the blood. "Richard, come here and try to hold him as much as you can," he adds, placing his own right knee over Kal-El's left arm to prevent any movement.

The assistant editor places himself on his other side, his two hands firmly clasped on the hero's right arm, musing on the fact that his skin seems not so different from human skin, despite its unusual coldness. _Idiot… he's Jason's father; he can't be that different. _

Lucius looks at Lee then at Richard. "Ready?"

The young woman, her expression hardening, puts her hands on both sides of Kal-El's head, preparing herself while Richard assures his grip on his arm and nods at the black man. "Ready," he says uncertainly but as Lucius grabs the alcohol bottle, plunging some medical pliers into it, he adds, "Wait! You've done this before, right?"

Lucius looks at him with an elusive expression. "You mean trying to get a bullet out of a bleeding alien while rolling around in a speeding van with a maniac on our trail?"

Richard's face turns pale.

* * *

His eyes fixed on the road, Jimmy tries not to peer at his rear view mirror when a whimper immediately followed by a piercing scream makes him almost lose his grip on his steering wheel. The van wobbles dangerously across the lane, rolling its passengers around. 

"Geez, Jimmy!! Be careful!!" he hears Richard shout at him.

"Sorry," the young photographer mutters, tightening his hold on the leather of the steering wheel.

Adjusting his grip on the hero's arm, Richard sees Lucius hesitating.

"These first aid scissors are useless against the density of his flesh; I need something sharper," the black man says, looking down at Kal-El's shivering frame.

"I have a Swiss Army knife in my purse; it should do," Lee suddenly says, trying hard to hold her lover's head in place as he begins to moan and groan in his delirium.

Lucius grabs the purse and rummages through it a few seconds before finding the little knife. Opening it quickly, he nods, satisfied. "It will have to do," he simply says as he places himself back across Superman's right arm.

A few moments later, renewed agonized screams make Jimmy cringe again. _Don't look at the rear... don't look... concentrate on the road..._ he thinks, wiping the sweat away from his brow with the back of his sleeve. _Don't listen to whatever they're saying... concentrate on the damned road..._

"Hold him tight!! I can't work properly like this!"

"I'm trying, but he's too strong!!"

More screams and cries... _Don't listen... concentrate on the fcking road.._.

"Oh, God! There's so much blood... Richard, hold him!! Pin him down!"

"I'm practically laying on him already, Fox! I can't do any better than that!!"

Screams, again and again...

"Jimmy! Put some music on... **loud**!!!" Richard shouts.

Jimmy powers his radio-CD on and grabs his Evanescence CD with shaking hands. After a few attempts, he manages to plug it in and pushes on the play button, pushing the volume high.

Even more agonized cries... _Listen to the music... it's just the music... _In the mixed cacophony of screams and loud music, he still hears Lucius and Richard's voices and he feels his whole van structure vibrating and shaking. _What the-_

"Lucius! Be careful!! His eyes!!! Duck!!"

"Oh, no!! Kal-El!! Stop that!! You hear me?! Stop that!!" he hears Lee cry out suddenly.

_Calel? Who is Calel?_ Jimmy thinks when the screams cease all of a sudden. _Oh no… Is he..._

"I have it!! Here!! It's ok son... It's ok..." Lucius finally says out of breath, proudly holding the shattered bullet with its green glow between his fingers.

"Thank God," Lee says as she cradles the hero's head, brushing the sweat away from his forehead with a towel. Tears are welling down on her cheeks but she doesn't care, hearing his heartbeat slowing down to a more normal pace, his breaths easing gradually. _He's coming back…_

She can't see the quizzical glare Richard throws at her, though, while Lucius hurries up and throws the bullet out of the passenger window.

"We're finally free from that damned tracer," the assistant-editor says while disentangling himself carefully from the hero's body.

"No… it's still inside me…" they suddenly hear Superman say, his voice weak and hoarse.

Startled, Lucius and Richard look down at him as he's already trying to straighten up to a sitting position.

"Hey, not so soon, son. You're quite a miracle, but it's best that you lay down for a few minutes more while we dress this wound," Lucius says as he presses gently on Kal-El's chest to force him down.

Sighing, the hero lays back down, closing his eyes, exhausted.

* * *

As the sedan finally reaches the highway north of Metropolis, Hendricks' phone rings on the passenger seat. 

Grumbling, the scar-faced man takes it, flipping it opened quickly. "Hendricks here."

"Where are you?" Luthor's harsh voice asks him.

The mercenary looks sideways at the laptop and at the blinking dot. "I'm getting close. I'll reach him soon."

"Fine. Call me as soon as you have him." Hanging up the phone, the bald man leans back into his armchair, his eyes fixed on the video showing Superman crawling to the ledge until he's out of the camera's range, when suddenly something catches his attention. His mouth opening slightly in utter shock, he rewinds the two last seconds and replays the scene in slow motion. On the screen, a sudden glint of light appears to vanish instantly. _It can't be…_ Rewinding it again, he now goes forward frame by frame until he freezes the video on a particular one showing it perfectly, half hidden under the flowing folds of the cape, safely held by the hero's right hand: _a crystal…_

* * *

By the time Lucius has finished dressing his wound, wrapping his chest in tight bandages, Superman has regained most of his strength as his special cells are already at work healing his body. He's now contemplating his surroundings, trying to collect his thoughts and looking, puzzled at the strange deco of the van interior. _Where the heck are we? Did they… steal this thing?_ That's when he sees the deep gashes on the wall next to him; the odd plush carpet is torn apart and the metal behind it molded and pierced while the mattress he's seated on is shredded to pieces at his sides as if the van had kept a wild and dangerous animal captive in it. Lifting an eyebrow, he suddenly sees the two burned holes in the ceiling. 

"You know, you're quite a pain when you're wounded," Richard says, half jokingly although the shocking image of the hero's glowing eyes aimed at him left him rather shaken.

Kal-El's jaw drops at that, and he stutters in a familiar way that startles the assistant editor, "I… I'm sorry… Did I…"

"It's a good thing for us that your aim was so poor when you were in that state," Lucius adds, giving him a warm smile and a wink.

Smiling half-heartedly, Superman sighs then looks around him, his eyes resting a second on the woman who is huddled in a corner of the van, silent. He immediately sees her bloodshot eyes and it breaks his heart to not be able to hold her now in his arms. She seems so washed out. Her voice was there with him whenever he emerged from his hazed state and although he doesn't recall much of what happened during the last hour, he knows without a doubt that she played a big part in his recovery. _They all risked their lives for me_, he thinks, a mixed feeling of pride and shame seizing him suddenly, reminding him that they're still in great danger now.

Sighing, he grabs the top of his suit and slips into it, wincing slightly in the process.

As he then straightens up and takes his cape, fastening it quickly to his collar, Lucius looks up at him and says without much conviction, "You're sure you don't want to rest some more? You've been hurt pretty badly tonight."

Grabbing the lock of the side door, Kal-El looks back at him kindly. "As long as I have this tracer inside me, I'm putting you all at risk by staying here. I have to get rid of it."

"How?" Richard asks, curious.

"I have an idea…" the hero replies with a slightly lopsided smile. With a last look at Lee and the young Jimmy, who tries to drive while peering into his rear view mirror, Superman opens the door, ready to take the air. "Close the door behind me and continue to drive to the next exit, then take it. I'll take care of the rest." He pauses then gives them all a smile full of genuine humility. "Thank you," he says simply, then is about to turn his back to them, the wind already drying his silken hair when Richard calls out to him.

"Superman! Clark Kent, our colleague, was supposed to have gone where you were attacked tonight. Did you… see him? We're quite worried about him," the assistant editor says while eying the young blind woman.

Kal-El seems to hesitate a second then answers, his voice deep and low, "No one was there on that roof besides Miss Kowalski and me." Gazing at Lee he continues, "I'm sure he's fine. I'll check on him and let you know."

"Thanks," Richard says, relieved as the hero disappears into the night. _Maybe Clark really went home, finally,_ he thinks with an inner smile, the image of the clumsy reporter snoring on his couch dancing into his mind.

* * *

As soon as the air strikes his face, Kal-El feels adrenaline rushing into his veins and a wonderful feeling of freedom invades him. Closing his eyes and inhaling deeply, he feels his lungs opening and charging themselves with welcomed oxygen, fueling his energy. With a contented smile illuminating his face he rolls two or three times on his side like a happy dolphin dancing in the waves, then reminds himself that things are yet to be done. 

Flying in the shadows just a few meters above the van, he follows his friends until they take the next exit, then he continues a few miles more to lure any pursuers away before suddenly gaining altitude and making a wide, loose loop above the ocean and aiming back at Metropolis, his cape clapping gracefully under the air.

* * *

Luthor and Hendricks both see the little dot changing course drastically as it aims back at the city. 

_What the hell is happening now?_ the bald man thinks as he rolls his chair frantically in front of the main screen, rubbing the sweat away from his head. The kind of trajectory that the tracer shows now leaves no doubt that the alien is now flying… and fast. Banging his fist against the console, the maniac hisses, "You can fly, but you can't escape… It's just a matter of time… You'll wear out and soon your little pathetic wings will break too, freak! And all I'll have to do is pick you up and finish you!"

* * *

Aiming toward the south, Kal-El is soon in sight of the main Metropolis power plant. Gaining speed, he hovers above it, searching for a certain area where most of the electricity is concentrated. When he has found what he was looking for, he rapidly descends and lands in front of a massively protected maze of highly electrified cables coming out of the generators. He gazes at them a long moment, trying to convince himself that this is not the stupidest idea he has had since leaving Earth.

* * *

In the darkness of his monitoring room, Luthor, his eyes fixed on the little dot now motionless in the middle of the southern Metropolis power plant, grips the borders of the console with both hands without even realizing it, leaning forward. "No… You're not going to do that… You can't do that, you freak! You're not that stupid!! It will kill you!!" he keeps whispering between his teeth.

* * *

Breaking open the reinforced metal door protecting the cables as if it was just a flimsy piece of cardboard, Superman stops in front of the cables, his hands trembling slightly. _My time is limited, but it certainly won't be you who will decide my fate, Luthor…_ he thinks as his jaw clenches and his eyes darken to an impossibly deep shade of blue. Taking a deep breath, he grabs the cables with both hands saying, "Checkmate, buddy!!" and pulls hard, releasing the massive electric energy into his body in a deadly shower of sparks and light. 

**ZZZZSSSHHNNNZZZSSSS!!!**

"Aaaaaaaaarrrrrggghhhhhhh!!!"


	39. Chapter 38

**Chapter 38 : Who do you care for?**

One after another, the districts of Metropolis are plunged into darkness, the only remaining light provided by the flow of vehicles on the streets.

"What the hell is that?!" Jimmy exclaims with a high pitched voice as the bridge that the little van is crossing is suddenly bathed in darkness, the car before him braking furiously. "Is Luthor trying again to grow another landmass?"

Richard looks around and thinks quickly. "No," he says, "This is just a power outage. See, it's just the lights..."

Lucius gazes out the passenger window with widening eyes. _I sure hope he didn't do what I think he just did... It's a genius move, but in his state..._ Preferring to keep his thoughts to himself, he stays silent as the van continues its course back to Metropolis.

* * *

As soon as the blinking dot suddenly vanished from the map, Luthor slumped heavily in his armchair. His face pale and sweaty, he keeps staring at the empty space the marker occupied only seconds ago. _He did it... That retarded flying freak did it!! _Snapping suddenly out of his paralyzed state, he rushes to his cell phone and dials Hendrick's number furiously.

"The tracer stopped functioning," the mercenary says in an expressionless tone as soon as he takes the call, his eyes not leaving the road on the suddenly dark northern highway.

Furious, the bald man barks, "I know the tracer stopped functioning, idiot!! Get moving and go to that power plant now!! Bring him or whatever is left of him back to me!! Go, go, go!!!"

* * *

_Soothing darkness... _Little by little the dark veil is filled with a myriad of blurry and shiny spots. Blinking away the fog covering his eyes, Kal-El manages to focus his vision on the deep starry sky above him. _Where am I? Back in Kansas? This sky is so deep and pure like above the fields around the farm... I can even see the Milky Way... _Closing his eyes, he smiles contentedly until the scent of burnt flesh teases his nostrils. Alarmed, his eyes snap open again and he tries to straighten up frantically, but he realizes immediately that he can't move a single muscle, his whole body numb and limp. He lays there on his back a few moments, arms outstretched, staring at the dark sky and drawing long, deep breaths while trying to collect his thoughts. The bullet... the tracer... his friends trying to help... everything comes back to him fuzzily as the vague throbbing of his entire body barely hides the stinging, but bearable, pain in his shoulder.

Making a second tentative move to straighten up, this time he manages to raise himself to a sitting position, groaning loudly in the process as all the nerves of his body scream their protest. Looking around wearily, he notices that he's nowhere near the generators anymore; the layers of concrete walls and wire fences designed to protect the area from intruders have been shattered, leaving a path to where he's sitting now on the grass a few dozen yards away. _I must have been thrown away by the force of the electric bolt and it saved my life. A few seconds more of this ordeal and I would have been roasted! _he thinks, smirking slightly. Closing his eyes, he concentrates on the subtle pulsing sound that the tracer used to make and is relieved to not hear it anymore; it's dead. Looking down at his hands and at the rest of his body, his eyes grow wide upon seeing the deep burns on his palms starting to heal slowly while an acrid steam emanates from his blooded and half burned suit. The once proud and stark crest of El is scorched and half-melted into the burned, blood-stained blue fabric, letting the dirtied and red bandages covering his chest and shoulder show underneath. Slumping back into the comfort of the fresh grass, he gazes at the sky one more time, sighing deeply. _I definitely need a vacation..._

His eyes darkening suddenly, he straightens back up frantically, ignoring the subsiding stiffness of his body. _The Father crystal!!!_

* * *

Since leaving Lucius Fox at his hotel, Richard, Jimmy and Lee haven't exchanged a single word during their journey back through the hectic traffic caused by the black out. The assistant-editor, now seated on the passenger seat next to Jimmy, throws stolen glares at the blind woman in the back of the van, his mind spinning. _All those extra gentle touches she gave Superman, the soothing whispers and the strange name she called him when he tried to blast us a second time… Who was she really looking for tonight? Was it really Clark... or was it Superman? _He's determined to discover what lies behind Lee's actions, but not now, not tonight; they're all much too washed out after this crazy rodeo and what they all need now is a good night's sleep to be ready for the next day when the entire fate to the world will be determined by the man they saved a few moments ago.

As they arrive at Lee's apartment complex, Jimmy parks his van in the dark alley nearby and jumps out with his flashlight to open the side door for his blind friend. That's when he sees for the first time the disastrous consequences of Superman's chaotic field surgery. His jaw dropped, he stares, abashed at the gory mess the inside of his van has become while Lee steps out, helped by Richard, who then pats the young photographer's back sympathetically.

"Thank you, Richard, Jimmy. See you in the morning at the paper, ok?" the young woman says with a falsely detached voice as she starts to walk away in the darkness of the alley.

Startled, Richard calls out to her, "Wait! It's better that we escort you to your apartment; with the black out it's not safe out there."

But she quickly dismisses him, already disappearing into the night. "Don't worry Richard; darkness is my friend... Beside, I think we all need a good rest after... this evening." Her last words die into the cold air as she walks away carefully.

Not really convinced, the assistant-editor catches up with her and grabs her arm, surprising her. "I know that you're absolutely capable of finding your way back home alone, Aileen, but allow me to be assured that at least one of my staff members is safe at home until I can call the day off, ok?" he says kindly, to which she can only nod with a slight smile. "Besides," he adds, "I want to check on Clark's apartment just in case. We still don't know what happened to him."

The smile on Lee's face fades instantly as they head to the building entrance, Jimmy lighting the way with his flashlight.

After a few moments, they find themselves at Clark's apartment doorway. Richard, knocking on the door repeatedly, calls out, "Clark? Clark? It's Richard with Jimmy and Aileen! Are you here? Clark!!"

No answer.

"He's not here; I don't hear anything," Lee says disappointedly. How she had wished that he was already there, resting after what he went through tonight. _Until he comes back to me, I won't be able to get a wink of sleep,_ she thinks.

Patting her shoulder sympathetically, Jimmy says, "Don't worry Lee, Superman promised he would look for him."

"I'm afraid that Superman will have his hands full until morning and Clark will be the last of his preoccupations," Richard replies more bitterly than he would have liked to. The mild-mannered reporter always seems to be the last of anyone's preoccupations anyway and it pains the assistant-editor. Apart from Jimmy, no one welcomed him back when the poor guy reappeared a month or so ago and even his girlfriend, who, he is sure, must be the first of his entire life, is about to be swept away by the charismatic and untouchable super-hero. Transparency must be the tragedy of Clark Kent's life. The simple idea of letting this good but so forgettable guy die alone in a similar dirty alley as the one they found Superman in, is unthinkable for Richard. _We must find him. Maybe he was kidnapped by Luthor's goons to not compromise his trap to Superman._ Rummaging in his pocket, he quickly takes out a small lock pick that he uses on the door knob. "Jimmy, give me some light please."

"Wh-what are you doing, Mister White? You're not going to break into Mister Kent's apartment?!" Jimmy exclaims, alarmed.

"Shhh..." the older man says to silent him.

Afraid of what the assistant-editor could find there, Lee tries to intervene, "Richard, I don't think it's a good idea, I..."

But Richard has already opened the door and strides into the apartment, taking the light from Jimmy. Looking around, he's surprised to discover a lifeless interior, empty and impersonal. A few notes and papers are scattered on the desk near the shelves, but apart from that nothing relates to someone living here.

"Mister White... He's definitely not here, we should..." Jimmy tries, but the assistant-editor is not listening, already heading to the other rooms.

His journalist side operating full force, Richard checks every room meticulously, trying to find something, a hint, a clue that could help him clarify the odd feeling he's had since he entered the place. In the kitchen, he finds the cabinets empty for the most part, with no food supplies apart some coffee and a few bottles of milk in the fridge, but nothing more. Lifting an eyebrow, he walks to the bedroom, where he finds the bed neatly made with a little framed photo of Clark and people who seem to be his parents on the side-table as the only personalization in the room. Opening the closet, he finds two old fashioned three-piece suits and a few flannel shirts, two pairs of jeans, and the rest of his clothes and underwear still neatly folded in one of his big suitcases. More and more intrigued, he heads to the bathroom where he finds a little toiletry kit with barely enough inside to assure a normal man's cleanliness. _Where's his razor?_ he thinks to himself, remembering how the reporter is always clean and perfectly shaved. _This guy obviously doesn't live here..._ Turning to his friends who remained in the main room quietly, he looks at Lee and says, "Aileen, pardon me this intruding question, but does Clark already live with you in your apartment?"

Jimmy, quite offended by this straight question, says, "Mister White, I don't think-"

"Jimmy, I'm trying to find out where Clark is and why this place looks like no one lives here! And besides, I seem to be the only one here really concerned about what could have happened to him!!" Richard answers, despite his will, out of sudden anger and annoyed by the little voice screaming in the back of his mind.

Before Jimmy can react, shocked, Lee takes a few steps toward Richard and slaps him forcefully, making him lose his grip on the flashlight, which rolls on the floor.

A long, heavy silence settles between the three until Richard sighs soundly, his right cheek burning. "I- I'm sorry... I shouldn't..."

"That's ok, Richard," Lee says shakily as genuine tears threaten to moist her eyes. "I know that you care for Clark a lot. I'm scared to death that something happened to him, too, but all we can do now is rely on the police and Superman to find him. We're all more than exhausted and we'll do nothing good now. We should all go home," she says as firmly as she can despite her own fear. "And yes, Clark partly lives with me," she adds finally, hoping that it will be enough to make them leave this place.

Lowering his eyes, Richard nods, "You're right. I'm really sorry... Let's go." He grabs the flashlight on the floor and they all leave the empty apartment.

* * *

Posted a safe distance from the technicians that are already at work trying to repair the damage to the cables and the generators, Hendricks wanders his sight through his binoculars, following the holes in the walls and various fences up to a little bank nearby where the grass seems to have been crushed and flattened recently, but no alien or any piece of it is in sight. Sighing with frustration, he heads back to the sedan parked safely down the road where a more and more nervous Kitty waits for him. Grabbing his cell phone, he calls Luthor.

"He flew away," he says simply.

A deep, oppressed sigh is the only answer until Luthor says with a deadly cold and contained voice, "All right. Come back here and bring me Kitty as soon as you arrive."

"Ok, Sir."

The sedan soon disappears into the night.

* * *

As soon as she has locked her door, Lee immediately feels his presence.

"Clark?" she whispers tentatively.

"Yes, Honey," his unmistakable soft, warm voice replies gently.

Her heart pounding painfully, she runs to him, warm tears wetting her cheeks, ready to jump in his arms. "Oh Clark!"

As her arms encircle his waist, she feels him stiffening and hissing slightly, reminding her that he was badly wounded just a few moments ago. "Oh, sorry..." But this time the smell of burned flesh and fabric added to the metallic scent of blood alarms her. "Clark? What happened? What did you do? Is the tracer gone?"

"It's ok. I got rid of it and I'm perfectly fine now; don't worry," he whispers as he still hesitates to return the hug. "It's just that I'm awfully dirty and-"

Smiling despite her tears, she wanders her hands carefully over his long torso, feeling the mess his suit has become. "Don't worry, Darling. I'm pretty sure that my clothes are already ruined anyway with what happened this evening, don't you think?"

Blushing despite his will, he finally allows himself to take her fully in his arms, breathing in her soft hair contentedly. _Losing moments like that is definitely out of the question; I won't fail tomorrow and I'll return to you even if I have to fight my way back,_ he thinks as his hug tightens a little more around his lover. _The Father crystal is with me now so there's hope. _

Pushing her back gently at arms length, he says joyfully, "Honey, can you give me the crystal that was with me when you found me? I need to take it to my hideout to prepare myself for tomorrow before I can come back for a good rest."

Frowning, she tilts her head to the left. "A crystal? What crystal?"

Blood draining suddenly from his face, Kal-El looks down at her with growing eyes. "The- the crystal that I had with me... The crystal that Catherine Kowalski gave me on the roof! You couldn't have missed it, I had it in my hand. I didn't let it go! I-" he says frantically a knot growing helplessly in his throat.

"Clark! Calm down!! There wasn't any crystal at your side... We didn't find anything. Are you sure-" Lee tries to hold him by the shoulders, alarmed by his frantic reaction.

But Clark takes her hands in his, inhaling deeply to calm himself and be able to regain control of his emotions. _I can't fail now..._ "It's ok, Darling, it's ok. I'll go back to get it, don't worry."

"What? Clark! You can't go back there! Luthor's goons might still be out there waiting for you now that they can't trace you anymore and you're still wounded!! Clark..." Now it's Aileen's turn to lose her composure. _I can't let him go..._

"Shhh..." He presses his lips on hers tenderly, giving her a chaste kiss then he walks away. "I'll be back soon, I promise. Don't wait for me."

Left alone with just the cool breeze of the cold night, Lee slumps to the floor, unable to stop her tears from falling. She soon begins to sob quietly in the darkness of her living-room.

* * *

Leaning against the door frame of one of the many guest rooms, Bruce gazes at the tiny form almost hidden under the luxurious duvets of the king sized bed. Since he was brought to the manor, Jason White has not ceased to amaze the billionaire and his butler. _He's so much like his father; so curious and naïve and so... irritatingly caring_, the tall man thinks, a little smirk forming on his lips as he recalls one or two comments the little boy made about him living here in this huge house alone and without a woman.

Feeling the presence of Alfred coming up behind him, he quietly shuts the door and turns to him. "Alfred, I'm going out for the night. Could you keep an ear opened just in case the little guy needs-" That's when he notices the blanket and book under the old man's arm.

"I already made a deal with young Master White to stay with him in his room for the first night. The sofa in there is extremely comfortable, anyway," the butler says with a little wink. His face returning to a more serious expression, he looks his master in the eye. "Master Bruce, may I ask you to be extra careful with your little 'nocturnal promenade'? We have a special guest to take care of now."

Bruce smiles at that. "Don't worry, Alfred. Nothing dangerous tonight; I'm just going to see an 'old friend' and check up on his whereabouts," he says with a smirk, leaving the butler clueless. "Goodnight Alfred. Tomorrow is the big day so I won't be long anyway." With that he walks silently out into the corridor.

* * *

Hovering high enough above the city as to not be seen, Kal-El scrutinizes the Logan bridge area meticulously. As electricity is now back on in the city, the hero gives a silent apology to the guys who had to rush to repair his mess. His stomach lurches suddenly when his eyes fall on the roof he was shot on, stains of dark blood still clearly visible on the concrete floor, surrounded by marks made by the police for their investigation. Rubbing his right shoulder mechanically, he peers at the roof carefully and finally finds the cameras Catherine was talking about. _Is he still watching?_ Just in case, Kal-El decides to stay a safe distance from the roof and tries instead to remember what happened when Kitty left him. His eyes follow the trail of blood up to the southern ledge; _I wanted to reach the power plant,_ he recalls, _but obviously I didn't make it far…_ The rest of his memory is a haze of fuzzy images of Lee above him, speaking, crying, Richard, Jimmy, Lucius Fox even, and red… red everywhere and intense pain like he's never experienced before. A shudder runs through his tired body, but he ignores it, straining his vision into the different alleys situated across the direction he might have taken. _I remember an alley… a dark one…_ When his vision falls on the characteristic impacts along the side of one old abandoned building a few blocks away, the souvenir of his miserable fall comes back to him painfully, the horrible sound of his ribs cracking still present in his ears. A dark veil passes suddenly before his eyes, making him shake his head to chase it away, his flight faltering slightly. _Oh God, I need a good solar recharge and some sleep. Better not waste any time,_ he thinks as he initiates his descent, still surveying the area.

When his feet touch the dirty ground, Kal-El recognizes the place immediately, reliving every minute of the agonizing moment when he lost hope for a second, then came back to reason and crawled his way to the dark place under that staircase a few meters away. _I still had the crystal in my hand; I remember it clearly… _Once again following the trail of blood, he takes a few steps toward the garbage bags and scans the entire area with his x-ray vision. _It must be here; it has to be here… _

Nothing.

After a moment, he can't stand it anymore and kneels in front of the bags, digging his hands into them, ripping them apart and throwing them away furiously to try to find the precious crystal until his soiled fists punch the ground, making it vibrate and crack, an enraged cry escaping his mouth. Staggering back to his feet, he looks with wide eyes at his hands.

They've started to bleed again.

Suddenly, all the mixed odors of garbage, blood and the burned fabric of his suit assault his nose. He just has time to grab the post of the metal emergency staircase before retching bile, blood and the remnants of a long forgotten lunch in front of his feet. Feeling cold sweat wetting his brow and his knees starting to buckle, he wipes his mouth with the back of his sleeve. _It has to be here… I can't fail so close… _

"If it's the glowing piece of glass that you're looking for, it's not here anymore…" a husky voice says from behind, startling him.

Fearing a possible menace, Kal-El turns around a little too fast for his still light-headed state. Loosing his balance as if he were drunk, he leans his shoulder heavily against the staircase, making it groan dangerously. The man before him is no Luthor goon though, his long, tattered, and dirty hooded coat almost hiding his old features.

Tossing away the empty alcohol bottle he had in hand, the homeless man glowers at Superman with disdain and a slight hint of a cynical smile hidden under his long greasy hair. "So this is what God looks like…" He spits in front of him. "Pitiful if you ask me," he adds, still staring at the hero, who fights to keep his balance and composure as another wave of nausea hits him.

"I'm not a god," Kal-El feels compelled to reply but then he realizes that he'd better be cautious with what he says; this man saw his crystal… Straightening up a little, he looks the tramp in the eye. "You have my crystal?"

The man takes his backpack and starts to rummage into it, giving hope to the hero, but he only retrieves another bottle from it that he opens and starts to drink immediately. Sighing, Kal-El is about to turn his back to him and resume his search when the man finally speaks. "Ralph took it," he just says.

"Ralph?"

"Yes. Ralph 'owns' this part of the alley. So when your friends took you away, he took it," the old man says, shrugging his shoulders and starting to walk back into the depths of the alley.

Kal-El wants to stop him but calls out to him instead, still gripping the staircase for support, "Hey! Where is he now? Where is Ralph?"

"He went to sell it of course! It must cost a fortune to the black market. I bet I won't see Ralph again; he'll sure become a billionaire…" The sluggish voice of the man fades into the darkness.

Superman closes his eyes partly to stop his surroundings from spinning and also to acknowledge his loss. _I'll never have enough time to find this Ralph…_ His eyes open suddenly. _But maybe Clark Kent can find him! I have to go back to the paper; there might be a few sources I could call._ Looking at himself, he sighs. _I need to clean myself up first and let my suit regenerate for tomorrow… Yes, a good shower will be just fine. _With a tremendous effort he manages to tear himself from the ground and slowly ascends until he reaches a descent speed, soon disappearing into the dark sky above the city.

* * *

Closing the glass door behind him, Richard tosses his coat onto the couch in the corner of his office and slumps heavily into his swivel chair. _What an evening_, he muses, running his hands through his brown hair tiredly. Just at that moment his cell phone vibrates in his pocket. Retrieving it rapidly he immediately recognizes the ID.

"Hey, Lois; already at your hotel?" he says, trying to sound as light as possible.

"Yes, Honey. I just wanted to be sure that you were all right. I called home but you didn't answer," Lois replies.

"No, I still had a few things to tend to at the office. I think I'll sleep here to be ready for tomorrow. And on your side, how is it going?"

"Oh, I managed to get an exclusive interview with Commander Yeager for tomorrow just before the launch. And I checked the news tonight and saw that Superman seems to be reserving himself for tomorrow, as he hasn't been seen since this afternoon; that's a good thing I guess," she says a little more softly.

Quite embarrassed, Richard clears his throat. _Better not tell her what happened tonight or she'll freak out_, he thinks. "Hmm, yes… you're right. He… needs all the rest he can get to be… ready for tomorrow…" he stammers.

"Richard? Is everything all right?" the female reporter asks, surprised by his tone.

"Oh, yes! I'm just… nervous about tomorrow; that's all. And knowing that Jason is there in that unknown place with that… stuffy billionaire isn't exactly my taste."

He hears her sigh on the phone. "Richard… we already talked about this."

"Ok, ok. Superman trusts him; I know…" Rubbing his face with his hand, he adds, "I just wish that all this will be just bad memories in a few days."

"Yes," she simply says, making her own prayer silently. "Fine, I'll let you get back to work now; I need to prepare for my interview before going to bed. See you tomorrow, ok?"

"Ok, Lois. Love you," he says gently.

"Love you too, Honey."

Hanging up the phone, he stares a moment at an imaginary spot on his desk, then looks up at the newsroom through his glass wall. After a few moments, he stands up and leaves his office, heading directly to Kent's desk. Sitting in the reporter's swivel chair, he scans his desk, hesitating a moment before daring to grab the different files neatly organized on it, flipping the pages and opening the unlocked drawers, not really knowing what he's looking for. _A clue, something to help me understand him… try to think like him…_ This last thought makes the assistant-editor giggle slightly as the poor mild-mannered reporter seems to be so out of this world that thinking like him must be almost impossible.

After a long moment and finding nothing, he sighs and grabs the phone then dials a few numbers, "Hi, could I have the numbers for the different hospitals in Metropolis please?"

* * *

As he nears the building where he and Lee are living, Kal-El slows down to take a moment to peer into the woman's apartment. Seeing her fast asleep on the couch, he smiles, relieved, until he notices the salty traces of dried tears on her cheeks. Frowning, he inhales deeply and resumes his flight in the direction of the balcony of his own apartment. _I'm so sorry…_

A few moments later he's in his bathroom, standing still, staring at himself in the door length mirror. The vision returned to him gives him chills: his shoulders are slumped, his skin is deathly pale from all the blood loss and his suit is in shambles, his hair falling heavily over his brow is messy and sticky and there's not a single part of his body spared by stains of dried blood and grime.

Disgusted by his own frame, he mumbles between his teeth, "A god… Pfff… pitiful indeed…"

Sighing, he drags his feet slowly to the shower and climbs in, still completely dressed, pushing the watertight curtain away tiredly. As if acting on auto-pilot, he turns on the hot water, pushing it to the highest temperature possible and closes his eyes when the first drops hit his face. _It feels so good..._ Leaning his forehead against the tiled wall, his eyes fix on the vivid red trails of blood following the smooth shapes of the enameled floor, washed away by the fuming water. He stays like this a long moment, losing track of time until the entire room is filled with thick, hot steam.

_My suit_, he thinks suddenly,_ it needs to regenerate to be ready for the launch; I can't go there like this… _Still standing under the running water, his left hand comes to his shield automatically to brush over it as he speaks the usual Kryptonian word to trigger the morphing process, but he soon realizes that it was a _very_ bad idea. Gasping loudly as the suit illuminates brightly and transforms back into his office clothes in the span of a split second, his crystal necklace back in place around his neck, the blood in his veins seems to freeze suddenly. He has forgotten that the morphing process needed energy too, draining him dangerously from the little he had left. Feeling like the tiles of the walls are suddenly dancing a crazy waltz around him, he loses his balance, leaning back against the opposite wall, then he slumps down to the floor, water still pouring over him. Cold is the last sensation that runs through his body has his eyes close and he drifts into unconsciousness, his head tilting forward limply.

_Cold… so cold…_


	40. Chapter 39

**Chapter 39: Poison**

_Toc toc toc…_

Silence...

Lee knocks on the door more loudly this time although it seems quite futile to her, knowing Clark's acute hearing_. He's not here..._ A faint sound of running water comes to her ears but she's not able to tell if it's coming from inside her friend's apartment or from another one in the building_. If he had come back, he would have come back to me_, she muses as her hand rests a few moments against the painted wood of the door.

Sighing, she finally turns her heels and starts to walk away slowly, guiding herself along the marble wall. _He would have come to me..._

* * *

_Cold... freezing coldness..._ Clark wakes up with a start as violent shivers shake his entire body. Blinking away the fog in his eyes, he stares at his surroundings, taking a few moments to register where he is and what he's doing there but most of all why the hell is he fully dressed in his shower and as a matter of fact, drenched through to the bone. _Oh God, I fainted in the shower..._ His eyes widening suddenly, he feels his throat tightening. _How long have I been in here?_ Alarmed, he pulls himself up uneasily, his whole body stiff and sore from the long night spent huddled up in the narrow space under the running water, and he staggers back into his bedroom. His eyes fall on the bedside clock; ten past seven am. _I'm so damn late!_ he thinks while running his hands madly into his dripping wet hair. That's when the wound on his right shoulder wakes up, making him groan slightly. _It should be just a bad memory by now_, he thinks, clenching his jaw while massaging his shoulder gently. For a moment, he stays like this, drenching the carpet floor in the middle of his room, his mind unclear and unable to decide what to do. _I can't give in to panic now... There might still be enough time to find that Ralph guy before the launch... _

Quickly getting rid of his wet clothes, he peers through the floor and aims his x-ray vision two stories below at Lee's apartment. She's not there anymore... _She must be so worried now…_

* * *

A dark figure sweeps between the old, rusty buildings of the greasy eastern docks of Gotham, taking advantage of the fog and the shadows of the early morning to hide. Silent and ethereal, the Dark Knight lands smoothly on a roof in front of a worn warehouse. Rubbing his eyes tiredly, he sighs; he spent the entire night spying on Earle's apartment, breaking into his new home office to find something linking the ex-CEO to the scar faced goon. He had almost given up hope when his luck turned finally as he fell on a hidden folder in Earle's computer with the coded name 'LL New Order'. When he forced the password and opened the folder, he knew immediately that what  
he had just found was much more valuable than what he was searching for initially: listings of dates and numbers, commands, bills for a great amount of transactions between various Wayne Enterprises holdings, names of known and more obscure scientists charged off or with law problems for the most of them, locations and most of all an address which caught his attention as it appeared in various files: Warehouse 44, 13rd Alley, Eastern docks, Gotham. 

Here he is right now, hidden in the shadows, facing the old, dirty warehouse with the white painted numbers 44, almost erased by time and by the salty air of the sea, above its front portal. _What am I going to find in there?_ Bruce muses as he silently launches his grapple to cross the alley.

* * *

Half past seven at Kennedy Space center and the whole area is in effervescence, technical crews busy with the last preparations and journalists coming from every part of the world to cover the launch. Everyone is waiting feverishly for the imminent arrival of Superman, all eager to see the Man of Steel at work but most of all, all intrigued by this unusual collaboration between him and humans. As long as the hero is among them, nothing bad can really happen… He'll save the day like he did before. It's common sense. 

Lois woke up early to be able to catch Yeager before any other journalist, but her interview with the man ended up quickly when he was called back by his crew to take care of the last details for the launch. Frustrated, the female reporter roams around the authorized area, trying to catch a glimpse of Kal-El and give him some encouragement, her stomach lurching more and more as the time passes. _Will he really succeed? He seemed so sure when we met…_ she muses as she sits on a bench, rubbing her eyes tiredly.

* * *

The rusty door cringes noisily despite all his precautions when Batman pushes it softly with his gloved hands. He's checked over the whole abandoned warehouse for more than half an hour already and found nothing but old crates, dust and rats before noticing repeated footprints leading to a wall where they disappeared in an unrealistic way. After searching a few moments, he managed to find the hidden door, adrenaline finally rushing through his veins as the old friend it is to him. 

Carefully peering through the dark stairs leading further down, he rummages into a compartment of his belt and retrieves night-vision goggles that he puts over his mask, then starts to descend slowly along the stairs. He soon reaches another metallic door which looks much more modern than the previous one and which is locked by a digital code and biometric recognition. As he's about to pull out a device to crack the security system, he suddenly hears muffled voices from the other side of the door.

Two men dressed as security guards are discussing and laughing casually as they unlock and pass through the door, not noticing the dark shadow perched above their heads as they slowly walk up the stairs, still enthralled in their conversation. In a swift motion, Bruce manages to slide through the space left before the door shuts again and finds himself at the other side in a gray, sterile corridor protected by survey cameras. Reacting fast out of habit, he leans on the wall and starts to walk slowly, keeping sure that he's in the dead angle of the two cameras as he progresses.

After a few moments spent in an over-protected maze of corridors leading to locked doors and empty closets, the Dark Knight, following his intuition, finally finds an opened door and sweeps into it. Finding himself on a small platform overhanging above a vast area, he freezes immediately, unable to process what his eyes see: a giant eagle-like jet is facing him, surrounded by a maze of catwalks and scaffoldings with white-shirt men and technicians buzzing around it like ants. _What the Hell is that?_ he thinks as he stares at the futuristic machine with incredulity.

"Beautiful, isn't she?" he suddenly hears from behind him.

Before he can react and despite his well trained abilities, he feels a sudden intense pain in his back. _Damn it..._ are the last words that pass through his mind as he's swallowed by immediate darkness.

* * *

As soon as he manages to slip into dry clothes and his coat, Clark doesn't waste any time flying directly to the Planet, saving his suit for later as he streaks through the sky at top speed. Unfortunately – and unexpectedly – the flight drains him anyway, leaving him out of breath and weak in the knees as he takes the stairs down from the roof of the thirty-third floor. 

When he finally reaches the newsroom level, the glass doors of the bullpen feel heavy against his hands when he pushes them timidly, and he pants slightly as he drags himself slowly down the central aisle. A rapid look around confirms that Lee is indeed already here, busy in Perry's office with Richard._She'll be so mad at me for not having come back to her last night... I need to talk to her as soon as she leaves Perry's office_. He looks back at his feet and pulls his coat tighter around him, trying in vain to chase away the chills still running through his body as he crosses the distance to his desk, unnoticed as usual by the few staffers already busy at work on this special day.

Slumping heavily onto his swivel chair without even daring to pull off his long wool coat, he runs his hand mechanically over his forehead, his eyes widening in surprise when he feels moisture on his fingers. _Sweat? I never sweat... Well... actually almost never, apart from when I'm faced with kryptonite, or when... _His cheeks suddenly turn a bright pink shade as he cracks a smile, remembering the other night spent with Lee. The pleasant thought is soon replaced by darker ones, though, as Clark considers the implications of these new symptoms he's faced with. Frowning, he pulls a few envelopes out from his coat, staring at the names written on them a moment before tossing them into a drawer. He had intended to send them all to Bruce so his friend could forward his last wishes to his relatives for him, but the sudden hope given by the crystal and the lengths his friends went to last night to rescue him made him regret even thinking about giving up.

Throwing a little glance at Lee, who sits, prostrated, in a corner of the Chief's office while Richard speaks animatedly to his Uncle, Clark is about to tune his hearing to them, but cringes immediately while trying; a cacophony of mixed echoing sounds is the only result he gets, eliciting a sting of pain passing through his skull. _Oh God… it's getting worse… I don't have anymore time to lose_. His eyes now falling on the little family photo framed on his desk, he sighs. _Ma…_ Grabbing the phone on his desk, he quickly dials her number, ignoring the subtle tremor of his hand.

"Ma? It's me."

* * *

Back in Perry's office, Richard paces the floor nervously, swinging his arms in agitated frustration. 

"Why am I the only one here who seems to be worried about Kent?! I do know that our priority is Superman and what happened last night, but you both look like he's the last thing on your minds!" he says, looking angrily at Aileen and remembering how she behaved toward the hero last night. "I spent most of the night dialing every hospital and police stations in Metropolis, with no results! It's like Clark just vanished into thin air!"

"Actually… I saw him last night…" Lee finally says softly from her corner, head low.

Richard and Perry look at her, surprised.

"You, you saw him? Why didn't you tell us before?" Richard barks. "Where is he? Is he ok?"

"Yes… yes, he's ok. Well, he was when I saw him. He… he said that he still had to search for something important, and that he would be back later…" the young blind woman says, trying her best to tell the truth without giving away too much. "And with the hectic night we spent taking care of Superman, well… I was just relieved Clark was still alive and... I simply forgot to call you... I'm sorry..."

Perry, sitting at his desk, says, "Richard, calm down, will you. Kent is a big boy and I've become quite used to his disappearances along the way."

The assistant-editor looks at Perry, then at Aileen, noticing her tired features and her battered expression. His own face softens and he replies, "Ok, you're right; we're all pretty shaken by what happened last night. Seeing Superman like… that… I wonder what the reactions of the world will be when we publish it."

"There won't be any mention of that in the papers," Perry says dryly.

"What?" Richard's eyes widen in surprise. "But people have to know that Luthor is still around and…"

"Richard, think about the reaction of the world if they learn that Superman was that close to death just a few hours before the launch? The people are relying on him; for the majority, he can't fail and that's what's keeping this world from falling into chaos." The editor makes a pause then adds, "We'll save that article for after the launch, and it will have much more impact by then, don't you think?"

The assistant-editor runs his hand nervously through his hair. Sure, his Uncle is right, but Luthor… That maniac is somewhere outside and knows about Jason's origin. The simple idea that that horrible man could hurt his son is too much for him to bear. Not really knowing what to think about all this and his lack of sleep starting to show, he looks out at the bullpen pensively, and that's when he suddenly sees the mild-mannered reporter. _Kent?!_ A kind of uncontained fury immediately replaces his surprise as an unexpected feeling of betrayal invades him. _I wasted most of my night worrying about this idiot, and he's here working like nothing happened!?_ Suddenly leaving Perry and Lee, he bursts into the newsroom, his ample strides leading him to Clark's desk.

As he gets close to the reporter, he catches a glimpse of a weird discussion.

Clark, his back turned to Richard, is so enthralled by his conversation with Martha that he doesn't notice the other man.

"Yes… Jason was sent to Wayne Manor yesterday… Yes… I'm…"

But a sudden jolt of his chair makes him almost lose balance, his phone escaping his hand and crashing on the floor.

"You! Son of a btch!! I trusted you!!" Richard yells as he pulls on the reporter's shoulder to make him swirl around to face him.

Out of surprise, Clark tries to retrieve the fallen receiver, but the assistant-editor grabs him by his collar, forcing him to stand up under the stunned looks of the other journalists in the newsroom.

"My first impression was right!! You're Luthor's goon!! You bstard!!" Richard shouts out of anger, shaking the poor reporter.

"Richard! That's enough!!" the roaring voice of Perry rings suddenly behind him. "You and Kent, in my office, now!!"

Despite his wrath, Richard complies reluctantly, letting go of Clark's collar, and turns his heels, walking back to his uncle's office, his fists still clenched.

The reporter, a little dazed, waits a few seconds, motionless, until his eyes meet the cold stare of the Chief. Gulping painfully, he grabs the receiver, voices a quick apology to his mother and hangs up the phone before walking slowly to Perry's office, avoiding the quizzical stares of his co-workers.

Head low, he then waits patiently until Perry has shut the door, looking sideways to Lee who seems petrified in her corner of the room, but at least she knows he's ok now, he thinks.

"Ok, you two," the old man says, looking back and forth at the two men now standing before him. "What is this, now?"

Clark opens his mouth to speak but Richard reacts faster, "This bstard works for Luthor! I caught him giving out information about Jason that he wasn't even supposed to be aware of!!" he says, pointing his finger at the reporter's chest menacingly. "I'm pretty sure he has also something to do with the last attempt on Superman's life. He was the one who pulled him into that trap!"

"N- no!! I…" Clark starts, feeling the knot in his throat growing, but he then realizes that his difficulty to speak has nothing to do with his emotions when he suddenly feels his chest constricting painfully, making him gasp for air. The image of Richard's menacing expression blurs gradually and the sounds around him begin to echo in the distance, the words losing their meaning little by little as cold sweat wets his brow.

Perry is the first to react when he notices the colors leaving the reporter's face and he grabs his arm just in time to prevent him from falling when the tall man collapses suddenly. Guiding him to the sofa just behind, he unfastens his tie quickly and opens his collar. "Here, m'boy... Breathe... Easy... Breathe..." he says, his voice unexpectedly soft and caring.

"Clark!!" Lee, alarmed, is instantly by his side, her hand running gently through his hair as he struggles to breathe, wheezing loudly.

Richard, who has not made a single move so far, transfixed by the sudden turn of events, jumps with a start when his uncle barks at him, "Richard! Don't you recognize an asthma attack when you see one? Don't stand there like an idiot, go get one of Jason's inhalers!! Hurry!!"

Torn out of his paralyzed state, the livid assistant-editor nods finally and runs out of the office.

As soon as he's gone, the old man looks Clark in the eye and asks him softly, "Is it kryptonite, son? What can we do to help you?"

Clark stares at him in shock between two gasps, taking in the implications of what his boss has just said, but right now the state he is in doesn't give him the luxury to evaluate the situation further._Kryptonite... No it's not kryptonite... not even the one from the landmass as it's not yet in range... the pain is different... _his chest hurts and seems to constrict despite his efforts to breathe._It's something else... something new... _Closing his eyes as a black veil passes before his sight from the lack of oxygen, he manages to shake his head slightly and stammers, "n- no... not kryptonite..."

"He's sick, and after last night..." Aileen murmurs as she cradles his head gently.

Richard runs back into the office, leaving the door wide opened in his haste. Holding the little inhaler hesitantly to his uncle, he says, "It's dosed for Jason, I don't know if..."

But Perry takes it from him and presents it to Clark's gaping mouth without any hesitation, holding the back of the young man's neck with the other hand to help him. "Here kiddo; breathe this. You have to take a deep breath, ok?"

"Mister White, I'm not sure it will work... Clark is not..." Aileen says but stops before saying too much, biting her lower lip in frustration, when Clark manages to squeeze her hand weekly as he struggles to breathe as deep as he can, thinking that even if the medicine can't help him here, it cannot make things any worse either.

The editor gives him two inhalations then waits a little for the medicine to take effect, but nothing happens, the reporter slowly losing his battle against asphyxia despite Aileen's continuous pleas to keep him awake.

"It's not working," Richard says, more and more anxious while seeing his colleague slowly drifting away. "I'll call 911," he adds nervously, walking to Perry's desk to take the phone.

But his uncle stops him. "No! We'll try again with a few more inhalations. Clark, come on, kid; try again... Breathe as deep as you can..." He puts the inhaler back into Clark's mouth and depresses the canister a few more times.

"Perry! What are you doing?! That's dangerous! Too much could kill him!! He needs real medical attention!" his nephew says as he tries to stop the old man, but to his utter shock Kent's wheezing seems to ease a little, his face regaining some color. _What the..._ Richard thinks as the other man's breathing calms down finally.

Panting, Clark keeps his eyes closed a moment, concentrating on calming his breathing and the pounding of his heart. This attack has been really different from the others, and most of all, Jason's medication seemed to have a real effect on him..._ How is this possible? One thing is for sure though: this means nothing good. I can't afford to waste any more time now... _he thinks as he pushes Lee and Perry's hands away from him and stands up, his hand then rubbing his right shoulder mechanically to chase away the stinging pain that's bugged him since this morning. He regrets it immediately, though, when he notices the sudden change in Richard's expression as the other man stares blankly at his shoulder. Following his gaze, Clark realizes that his shirt is now stained with fresh blood, a sure sign that his wound has opened again.

Time seems to stop between both men as they stare at each other, unmoving, while the rest of the staff is gathering at Perry's door, alerted by all the commotion. With a swift move of his foot, the old editor shuts the door loudly on their noses and glares at the staff members still peering through the glass windows, making them flee back to their duties. He rapidly closes the blinds to give a little privacy to this odd and delicate situation.

Clark is the first to speak, his voice now back to its deep self, "Richard, I..."

But suddenly and without any warning, the assistant-editor zooms in on the hero and punches him hard in the face, making the other man lose balance and fall back onto the sofa behind him, his glasses, thrown away by the impact, ending up crashing against the wall, ruined.

"You, fcking bastard!!!" Richard yells while cradling his now throbbing hand, "Do you have any idea of the mess you left by leaving!? How could you leave _her_ like that? How could you leave your own son!?"

"Richard!" Perry calls out, grabbing his nephew by the arm while Aileen tries to stand protectively in front of her friend.

But Clark, getting back to his feet, pushes her away gently. _I really don't need this right now..._ he thinks. He opens his mouth to speak, when the characteristic metallic taste of blood fills his mouth. Bringing his hand to his slightly itching nose, he immediately feels the hot, sticky liquid on his fingers. _I'm... bleeding?_ he muses, surprised, as he stares blankly at his bloodied finger tips. _But I didn't even feel his punch on my face..._ His eyes slowly widen up as the turmoil of emotions dance into them, leading him from fear to irrevocable resolve. _No time left..._

Lee suddenly feels his feverish hand on her cheek, his shaking fingers gently caressing her skin and his thumb drawing a line over her lips and her heart leaps as she takes in the implication of this touch and the meaning of his unspoken words._No... not now... not yet..._ She grabs his hand desperately as tears fill her eyes. She's not ready! But he pushes her away gently anyway, turning his attention back to Perry and Richard.

At this moment, the assistant-editor sees Clark Kent disappearing behind Superman as the man in front of him straightens up, his eyes darkening slightly, piercing his soul.

"I have to go," is the only thing the reporter says, but at this very moment no one would even dare to oppose to him as his aura, unleashed, fills the room. He nods to Perry, his eyes full of apology and regret and finally turns away, wiping away the blood from his nose with a handkerchief and tightening his coat back around him to hide his bloodied shirt. Returning to his mild-mannered reporter shell, he walks to the door, opening it. His glasses are no more but he doesn't really care; his hair, heavily falling over his forehead, hides most of his eyes anyway. He crosses the central aisle in an unusual silence as all the other staff members are staring at him, unaware of who they're really looking at.

* * *

Aileen is the first to react, calling out to him desperately, "Clark!!" She throws her hands in front of her and tries to follow him but ends up bumping on the sofa and falling in the arms of the old editor. 

"Hold on, young lady, Kent has an important mission to fulfill now," Perry says gravely.

"You don't understand! He's not in any state to do it now!! Believe me! We have to stop him!!" she cries out, trying to untangle herself from his grip.

Richard, undecided, looks at the young woman and then at Clark who is walking away slowly, already about to reach the elevators. It's not the first time he's seen the hero going over his limits; he did it the last time they saved him from Luthor, and despite Lois' pleas he went back there, wounded. But this time... Are Aileen's pleas to stop him only the selfish love of a woman going against the good of the whole world? Or are they the real expression of reason? The blind woman has obviously managed to get closer to the hero than anyone else, and seems to know a lot about him...

Grabbing her hand, the assistant-editor launches himself in pursuit of Clark, ignoring his uncle's calls. "Ok, Lee, let's get him back."

They cross the bullpen at full speed, ignoring the interrogative looks of their co-workers, but they miss Clark by a hair's breadth as the elevator's doors slide shut on their nose.

Hooked on Richard's arm, Lee asks, "Down or up?"

"Up," he says, looking at the lights above the doors. "Where is he going?"

"The roof!"

_Of course, you idiot..._ he thinks, rolling his eyes as he resumes his run to one of the service doors on their left. "Let's take the stairs!"

A moment and a few floors up later they finally arrive at the roof, out of breath, Richard opening the service door with much clatter by a strong kick. He immediately spots the other man and sighs from relief.

"He's still here," he says, panting, to Lee as he squeezes her hand. With cautious steps, he crosses the distance separating them from the hero who is leaning against the ledge, turning his back to them, looking at the city. His coat and jacket are tossed on the rooftop behind him. "Clark! Please... Just wait a moment, we..." but he doesn't finish his sentence, an odd feeling overwhelming him. _Something is wrong..._

"Richard?" the young woman asks softly, aware of his hesitation.

"I... can't fly..." they sudden hear Clark say, his voice cracking and weak, yet it's not Kent's voice.

"Clark..." Lee says gently, walking to him slowly, guided by his labored breathing, her hand raised in front of her.

"I can't... It won't work... It... It's not working anymore!" he continues, staring with bloodshot eyes at the void before him, his shaking hands resting on the ledge. His shirt, wide opened and flowing slightly in the breeze lets show the little crystal hanging on his neck, a faint glow emanating from it a few more seconds before vanishing.

As the blind woman is about to touch his back, she immediately feels the heat radiating from him. _He's feverish..._

"It's not working anymore..." His voice is now barely more than a whisper.

"Oh, Clark..." she says, wanting to touch him, but she jumps back from fear when she hears his enraged and heart wrenching cry as he suddenly punches the ledge out of frustration.

The concrete explodes through the force of the impact and a wide swath of the ledge falls in rubble on the stair a little below, one of the art deco figures crumbling with the impact. Clark glares at his shaking hand, now bruised and bleeding, too. Disgusted, he grabs his necklace and tears it off then throws it away before staggering back to his friends. But after only a few steps, he collapses heavily on the floor.

"Clark!!"

_Clark..._ He hears the voices calling for him echoing in the distance as he gazes at the sky above him, the clouds dancing over him, the light inviting him. He raises his hand to touch it but the light slowly fades away, along with the voices around him... and the pain..._Nothing..._


	41. Chapter 40

**Hi, everybody! I'm back after almost one year with the following chapter of APTCH. You'll finally be able to discover what became of Clark after passing out on the Planet roof. Thanks for all your support. **

**Don't forget to support the BRB campain – Bring Routh Back available at the forums.**

**Chapter 40**

… _poison… the bullet was full of it as it seems… human DNA probably out of the blood taken from Jason… it kills his alien cells…_

Echoes of distant but familiar voices and the endless beeping of a life-supporting machine rock him like a song.

… _beep … beep … beep…_

It's there… always… whenever he emerges from the depths of darkness to bathe in a foggy haze of muffled sounds and smothered sensations.

"… _Clark, please hold on… You made a promise to me… you remember? ...Everything would be alright…"_

_This voice…_ he recognizes it but he's not able to place a name or image on it. It's more like a sensation, a good one, a soothing one, enveloping him and sheltering him from darkness and fear. _A promise… I made a promise… a promise…_ he thinks as he fights his way back to light.

Lois paces the cold metallic floor, careful to not step off of the catwalk and fall into the dark, moist place far below. She tries her best to ignore the incessant noise of the thousand creepy beings hanging high over her head on the cave ceiling. Hugging herself to chase the chills away, she looks at the only lighted space in the huge, scary place: an improvised ICU. Placed in a corner of the cave, a sterile chamber made of translucent plastic is lit up with artificial sunlight produced by powerful lamps, bathing the form inside with brilliance. Like crystal armor, it protects the failing body of her precious friend.

Walking silently to the chamber, she places her right hand on the plastic film and gazes at Clark, half naked to reap the benefits the artificial solar rays, his prone body laid on the medical bed, nearly lifeless. _Deja-vu,_ she thinks. _No, not really… last time he was… unspoiled, like he was simply asleep, untouchable, godlike_. _This time…_

An oxygen mask is clasped on the hero's mouth to help his labored breathing, delivering the special medicine Lucius Fox managed to develop as soon as he found the reason for the sudden aggravation of Clark's state. An ugly web-like mark, green and dark, starts to show from under the bandages still protecting his non-healing shoulder wound. It seems to expand progressively on his chest and his right arm like a vicious snake aiming at his heart. Lucius said it was some kind of poison hidden in the bullet which hit him; a poison made with Jason's blood. Luthor's scheme couldn't have been more wicked: kill the father via his own son. Squeezing her eyes shut, she fights back the pang of anger and guilt seizing her; _I didn't even know he was already sick… he would never have confessed it to me…_ Shaking her head slightly, she opens her eyes and looks at the blind woman seated at the left side of the bed, her hand firmly clasping the hero's, her head resting on her arm, fast asleep. Lee barely left his side since he was brought here three days ago. _She knew… even before he dared to tell her… I should have known it too, damnit!_ she thinks as she bites her lips until she can taste her own blood. _I should even have known __**you**__ were __**Him**__…_

* * *

Getting out of the netted car of the ancient elevator, Richard takes a deep breath and starts to cross the cave in the direction of the ICU. He didn't even get the chance to cope with the awkward revelation of Clark being Superman when everything went chaotic immediately after that. The pursuit on the stairs, the hero-reporter falling out cold into his arms, the call to Fox and finally the decision to take him away from Metropolis and up to a safe place where Luthor couldn't cause any more damage, where New Krypton couldn't hurt him: the specially lead-lined base of operations of… Batman!! _Geez…_ Another revelation… The spoiled billionaire who has graciously accepted to look after his son is this dark, scary figure. The two most precious scoops of all times and the assistant-editor of one of the world's biggest newspapers can't even report them. It wouldn't matter anyway as the world as he knows it will vanish in a little more than twenty-four hours, now that the only being on Earth able to stop the cataclysm is laying in a medical bed with life support and Batman is reported MIA. Richard is not even sure they'll survive it, despite what Fox said about this highly protected place. Glaring at his swollen right hand, still hurting from his punch to the super-hero the other day, he sighs, _damn you, Superman!_

"Lois," he says softly, startling her. "Jason's upstairs in bed and he's asking for you."

"uh… Yeah."

Looking at her with compassionate eyes, he immediately sees her tiredness and lost expression. "You should use the time to eat something and sleep a little, Honey"

"Hmm…" is her only answer as she manages to tear her eyes from the medical bed and walk away slowly.

* * *

"Damn you, SuperFreak!!" Luthor cries out as he tosses another pile of photos and reports on the floor. "You can't vanish on me like this, not now!!" He has kept searching for something, anything that could lead him to a hint, a single tiny clue.

"He didn't come to his rendezvous with the shuttle, the other day. He's most likely dead…" Hendricks starts.

"No! He's not dead!! I didn't allow him to die! I'll be the one to finish him, you hear?!" the bald man cuts him off, punching the table forcefully and making the rest of the pages and photos scatter randomly to the floor.

Suddenly, something catches his eyes. Reaching down to the pile of scattered photos, he grabs a particular one, his eyes widening. The photo isn't really clear and the tall man in the left corner seems to be trying to hide behind a few of his colleagues, but his compassionate look is directed to Lois Lane at the other side of the photo…

He shows the photo to the scar-faced man. "Who is this?"

The mercenary squeezes his eyes a little before answering: "It's that Kent guy, Lane's partner. Actually we picked this idiot to be the whipping boy for Lane's son kidnapping. He's such a klutz; he was the perfect guy for this."

Kneeling excitedly, Lex grabs every file, every photo related to the reporter. After a few minutes reading, he falls on the last reports from his source at the Planet:

… _been missing since Monday morning. Caught in argument with Richard White and left the journal… Was reported sick since then…_

"No… How could I have missed it…" he starts, a smirk deforming his face, soon replaced by a nervous laugher that resonates in the small control room. "Let's see what our little bat has to say about that."

* * *

"Good evening, Lucius," the old butler says as he opens the main door of the manor.

The African-American man graces him with a soft smile. "Good evening, Alfred." As he enters the entrance hall, he gets rid of his coat, which the other man grabs immediately out of habit. "Any news of _him_?" he says without much conviction.

Sadness darkening Alfred's face, the butler shakes his head negatively. "I checked again. No sign of Master Bruce since the other night." The slight tremor in his voice betrays his deep worry but he won't give in to emotion now that the entire manor and its guests rely on him. _And most of all…_ "What about you? Did you manage to synthesize a cure?"

Sighing, Fox says, "I'm not fully sure it'll work or for how long, but that's the best I could come up with in such a narrow time window. How is he?"

"Still in the same state; not any worse or any better…" the butler says as they walk to the small room hiding the cave's entrance.

Out of habit, Alfred taps the few keys on the piano and immediately the hidden door opens, letting the two men disappear behind it. But as they descend slowly down to the underground complex, a loud commotion comes to their ears. They exchange a look and Alfred hits the button to accelerate the lift course.

As they reach the bottom and run to the main cave, they discover Clark in the middle of the catwalk, staggering toward the lift entrance, Lee, Richard and Lois trying desperately to stop him, literally hanging onto him.

"Clark! Please, stop!! You're too weak!" Lois cries, gripping his bare right arm as hard as she can.

"I… I have to go… they're waiting for me… the shuttle… they need me…" the weak superhero says, out of breath as he fights his way to the elevator, almost oblivious of the three people hanging onto him.

Rapidly snapping out of his surprise, Lucius posts himself in front of Clark, shielding the exit and says calmly to him, "They don't need you anymore, Clark. The launch was three days ago. It was aborted when you didn't show up."

Clark stares at the black man, his eyes widening out of shock, the color draining from his already pale face. "N-no… it can't… three days--?" Suddenly, his strength no longer fueled by resolve and by the artificial solar rays, he collapses into the arms of Richard, Lois and Lee, who are barely able to ease his fall.

* * *

A moment later, Lois is posted again behind the plastic curtain, trying to find the courage to enter. She has so much to say to him and so little time. When Clark collapsed, they immediately took him back to his bed under the light. He didn't resist much, apparently broken by the revelation that he had failed in his mission. She can clearly imagine how badly the news must have hit him; him who never had failed anyone before… Well actually he had already by leaving to find Krypton, but it didn't mean the end of the world then. At first she surprised herself by being angry at him; after all New Krypton is his fault, as is Luthor using his damned crystals and as is his own illness, which he caught so stupidly while exploring the remnants of his long dead planet. _How could he be so naive to believe that he would find something left there, something that he already had here with us… with me… _she muses as she bites her nails absently. Pushing the curtain away, she's about to finally cross the curtain when she finds herself passed by Lee, who she didn't hear come in.

The red-haired woman has patiently waited for Fox to complete his ministrations to his patient and, as soon as she heard him leave the ICU, she crossed the plastic barrier, brushing Lois's arm affectionately. She sits at the bed side, careful to not make any noise, not knowing if her lover is still awake or not. But as soon as she touches his arm, she feels his gaze upon her, the slight move of his head toward her betrayed by the scraping on the pillow.

Smiling, she says softly, "Hey, you…" as she brushes the skin of his forearm softly with the tips of her fingers. _He's still so cold…_

A weak and ever so broken voice answers her, "…hey…"

A long moment passes before she can find her words, her emotions mixed between relief to see him finally awake after three endless days, and sorrow to know that he's so deeply ill. "Clark…" she finally starts.

"Ma… is she…" he interrupts her as his mind clears a little, trying to process the new situation.

"She's on her way here with Ben. Alfred sent someone to get them the other day when…" she stops, not really wanting to voice the chain of events. "Anyway, air traffic was stopped worldwide after everyone started to panic, and they had to come here by road. Hopefully they'll be here tomorrow morning. Don't worry, they'll be here in time before…" She can't continue further, the knot on her throat growing too much as she feels his arm tensing under her touch. _It's not his fault!_ she thinks, squeezing his hand.

"I failed you all…" is his expected answer as he closes his eyes out of disgust.

"No…" she says, rummaging into her pocket. Finding his hand again, she places his necklace into it. "Here… You tossed it on the Planet roof before fainting," she says as she brushes his cheek with her other hand, meeting the small oxygen tube which has now replaced the mask.

Clark gazes at the little crystal in his hand for a moment, making it roll between his fingers, then sighs and puts it back into Lee's hand. "Keep it…"

Surprised, the young woman grabs his arm. "Why? You need it…"

"No. Superman is no more… Superman is dead…" he says, almost expressionless, resigned…

Trying to not give into fear and despair, Lee grips his hand, entwining her fingers in his. "No, you can't say that. We can still find a solution! You said… with your crystal, you could…"

"I didn't find the crystal. It _was_ where you found me, but someone… a homeless man named Ralph took it… It must be lost in the black market by now… It's hopeless…"

"No!" Tears start to swell on her cheeks against her will.

With unusual calm, he forces his tired arm toward her head, pulling her to him. Smiling softly, he breathes in her hair. "Shh… it's okay. You… knew… it would end… like this…" His voice is less and less audible as he falls into slumber again. _All my friends and family… they'll all be safe here…_ is the last thought passing through his tired mind before darkness welcomes him back.

Behind the curtain, Lois stands there, watching them, silent tears running down her face. _It just can't end like this!_


	42. Chapter 41

**Chapter 41**

The scathing sound of the rusty door opening makes Bruce cringe. Those three days spent in total darkness in this cold and damp cell, naked and hung by the wrists, have wrung him out. Stripped out of his bat-suit, he's only been released once a day to be questioned or tortured for the pleasure of his captors. He's long past the pain and humiliation; only the headache remains now. _What__ about Clark… where is he? They kept asking me about Superman. What did he do? Did the mission to NK work? Oww…_ The blinding spot light aimed at him suddenly burns his eyes.

"Mister Luthor wants to see you, but first we'll have you cleaned," he hears one of the goons say just before being hit by a freezing water-jet.

A few moments later, he finds himself shoved to the floor of what looks like a control room. Out of habit and despite his state, he takes the opportunity to check on the different screens, but a powerful kick to his already battered ribcage makes him curl up on himself, pain overriding his instincts.

"So… How have you found your sojourn among us, Mister Bat? Is it… dark and creepy enough for you?" the now familiar voice of Luthor resonates in his buzzing ears.

"Bats and rats don't fit together," Bruce answers between his teeth. Another kick to his stomach from the thug at his side makes him choke and throw up bile and blood.

Disgusted, Luthor retrieves a small handkerchief from his side pocket and covers his nose. "Well. How about we talk about our common friend, Superman? Or should I say… Clark Kent!"

Bruce looks up in his direction, unable to hide his shock.

* * *

At the manor, no one was really able to find sleep last night. The sun has just risen on this last day and the final countdown has begun around the world; tonight will be the end of everything and there's nothing that anyone can do about it. Governments have finally given up trying to diminish the gravity of the cataclysm and Marshall Law has been instituted almost everywhere to try and contain the wave of exodus to the south...

Leaving the sumptuous kitchen where he was sure to find fresh coffee, Richard walks down the long corridor, his mug in hand, wondering how to occupy what is expected to be a very long day. Jason is still in bed. _Poor boy_. The young man saddens as he recalls the disappointed look on his son's tiny face when he learned that Clark was awake and that he wasn't allowed to see him. Lois and he thought that it was best for him to keep the souvenir of a strong image of his father.

Entering the bedroom assigned to them, Richard spots Lois working on her laptop. _Still at work… for what and for who--?_ he thinks. _Nobody reads the news anymore anyway. They're all trying to escape the inevitable or hide like us here_. "Honey?"

But Lois has just closed the laptop and is grabbing a leather jacket which was hanging in the dresser. That's when Richard realizes how she's dressed: black leather pants, and a tight shirt. "Ah! Richard! Take care of Jason for a few hours, I have to go back to Metropolis."

"Wh-what?! Are you insane?!" he says, abashed.

Not the least bit impressed by his shocked tone, she explains, "I managed to spot that Ralph guy Clark was talking about with the help of my sources. I just need to ask him what he did with the crystal. I highly doubt that he was able to sell it in these troubled times."

As she passes him, Richard grabs her arm, trying to stay as calm and diplomatic as possible. "Lois… There's nothing you can do for Clark anymore. He's… Well… with or without any crystal or whatever artifact, he won't stop New Krypton from exploding tonight, and besides, Jason needs you… us, more than ever…" he pleads.

Putting her hand over his, she looks at him tenderly. "I'll be back before tonight, don't worry. Richard, we have to keep trying… until the end." She lowers her eyes and adds, "That's a lesson I learned from a certain hero…"

Sighing, the young man looks at her with compassion. "Lois… please… even he has given up."

Upon hearing this, she glares back at him, fire dancing into her eyes. "You really don't understand: sometimes even heroes need to be saved!" With that she pulls out of his grip and trots quickly down the corridor toward the stairs.

"Lois!" Richard calls out, following her down to the garage. "You won't even be able to reach Metropolis. All roads have been closed by the Army or are blocked by traffic. It's a madhouse out there!"

With a mocking glare, she aims at the collection of Wayne's motorbikes and grabs a helmet on the shelf nearby. "Traffic won't be a problem with that."

"You- you know how to drive those things?!" her fiancé asks with incredulity. _What else do I still not know about this woman?_ he thinks as he sees her get on a BMW sport bike as casually as she would sit on a swivel chair.

Without another word, she fires the engine and rolls toward the entrance gate but just before she gets there, Lee appears out of nowhere and posts herself in front of her, forcing her to stop. "I'm coming with you!"

"No way!" Lois says, ready to pass her.

"I can help you! I won't be a burden."

The dark haired woman glares at her a moment then says simply, "He needs you…"

"Right now he needs that crystal more than anything else and I think I can 'hear' it if I'm near it. That's how I found Clark the other night in that alley. Besides, we need to show him that it's not the end," Lee says, putting her hand on the front of the bike.

Another moment passes until Lois sighs and grabs another helmet that she puts in the red-haired woman's hands. "Climb on and hold onto me tight."

Richard watches them leave, mourning his helplessness.

* * *

Diffuse pain in his shoulder wakes Clark up slowly. His vision and mind still fuzzy, it takes him a moment to remember where he is. _The cave, I'm in the Batcave… How? _ Groggily, he calls out, "Lee--?"

"Aileen is not here, young man," he hears a warm and rusty voice say. Lucius is seated on a stool at his bed-side, busy cleaning his shoulder wound. "Actually…" he adds, "… she left for Metropolis with Miss Lane four hours ago."

"What?! Wh--" Clark tries to straighten up but a piercing pain in his upper body breaks his attempt right away. He stifles a cry and falls back numbly on the mattress.

"Calm down, kid; you'll do yourself no good. The poison acts faster when you're agitated," the older man says while readjusting the oxygen tube under Clark's nose.

_The poison, yes…_ the reporter remembers his conversation with Lucius the last time he was awake and the explanation for his sudden aggravation. _It's not important anymore, anyway…_ Closing back his eyes, he tries to tame his growing fear as he realizes that they must be so close to the terrible deadline. "How much time is left before the explosion?" he asks as his mind clears progressively.

"It's eleven am; we have a little more than twelve hours ahead of us," Lucius answers calmly. "Here, try to sit up; I'll tend to the wound on your back now," he adds, helping Clark straightening up.

His whole body is stiff and sore but it feels good to sit up. Letting the scientist take care of his wounds, he tries to think. _Lois and Lee shouldn't have left the Manor; it's foolish_. Turning his head toward Lucius, he says, "Why didn't Bruce stop them?"

"Batman disappeared the day of the planned launch. We think that Luthor has him... or worse…"

Clark's jaw drops. _Bruce… in the hands of Luthor? It can't be! Not him, not now!! _Almost afraid to ask, he adds, "… and Martha Kent, my mother?"

Lucius sighs. "The traffic was far too heavy and all roads to Gotham are blocked; they had to give up trying to come here." Seeing the devastated look on the young man face, he quickly adds, "Don't worry, kid; Alfred made sure they could retreat into one of Wayne's anti-nuclear shelters near Washington. They'll be safe there."

It's not at all like he has planned it. His friends, his family, they're not safe as he expected. Nobody is safe and this is all because of him, his failure_. Lois and Lee… why did they go back to Metropolis? Why didn't Lee stay with me? She had faith in me and I deceived her…_ Frowning, he remembers the necklace he refused to take. He never should have said that to her, he never should have thought of it anyway. _I made a promise… _"Where did Lee and Lois go?"

"They went to find the guy who stole your crystal, as far as I know."

Clark stays silent for a moment, then turns to Lucius. "Can you ask Alfred to get me some clothes, please?"

Lucius gratifies him with a broad smile.

* * *

As he gets out of the elevator shaft, Richard realizes immediately that Clark is no longer in his bed. Turning his head toward the main console at the far right of the cave, he spots Lucius hunched over the big leather armchair where the hero sits, dressed in a pair of dark jeans and a black silk shirt, busy typing on the various keyboards.

"Clark?" the assistant editor says as he approaches the console. "Shouldn't you be resting?"

"Bruce is missing; I can't let him down. Besides…" He looks up at Lucius who gratifies him with a slight smile. "I feel a little better."

Richard sighs then turns his attention to the screen. "So, did you have any luck so far?"

Clark types a few keys. "We're trying to trace back Bruce's last activity on this computer; maybe it could lead us to where he went."

"But… He's… Batman, isn't he. Doesn't he simply have a sort of tracer on himself so that he can be found in case of trouble?" the young man says genuinely.

Lucius clears his throat. "Actually it was indeed planned to be included in his suit but… Mister Wayne is not the kind to like being traced… even by his friends," he says as Clark rolls his eyes in acknowledgment.

"Here…" the Kryptonian says after a few minutes more searching among the files. "It's the last file he opened. It's a copy of an article stating about the funeral of his parents…" Leaning forward as his vision is not really back to normal, Clark squints his eyes. "Look at this guy on the photo there… Richard, isn't that the scar-faced mercenary?"

Richard and Lucius both lean forward as Clark zooms in on the photo.

Richard is the first to talk. "Yes! It's Hendricks, the bastard who kidnapped Jason! I'm positive it's him."

"Oh, my… He used to be Earle's personal bodyguard," Lucius adds, his voice barely betraying his disdain for the blond man.

"Who is Earle?" Richard asks.

"He was Wayne Enterprises ex-CEO before Bruce fired him," Clark says as he types some more on the keyboard, opening other windows on the screen in which text scrolls fast.

"But what does Earle have to do with Luthor, or Wayne's disappearance?" the assistant editor continues asking, not very familiar with Wayne history.

It's Lucius' turn to answer. "Bruce must have wanted to check on Earle for his acquaintances with Hendricks. Alfred said that he told him he wanted to 'visit an old friend'. He never reappeared after that."

"Ok, then I'll go check this guy out right away," Richard says, ready for some action after those three long days doing nothing but waiting.

"It's not necessary…" the hero says as he finishes typing a few more keys. Before the three men eyes, a new window opens showing a series of numbers and letters processed at fast speed. "We only have to break into his computer."

"Earle has a really advanced security system for his affairs. I don't think we can hack it so easily, even with this special console. It may take too much time. That's why Bruce must have gone to his office, to crack the system directly from inside," Lucius says, but his eyes widen as he recognizes some sequences on the screen. "How did you…"

"I just compiled a little program to break its defense system," Clark says genuinely, looking attentively at the information displayed. "Here… We're inside. Let's check those files…" he starts, but a sudden wave of nausea catches him by surprise. "Oww…" he murmurs, closing his eyes as a dark veil blurs his vision.

"Hey, are you okay, buddy?" Richard says. "You should go back to bed…"

"No, I'm okay…" the alien-reporter whispers, breathing in shakily. His eyes fall on the side security screen showing the various live-views of the manor. In one of them, Jason is playing football with Alfred in the garden near the greenhouse.

Following his gaze, Richard feels for the other man, knowing perfectly what must pass through his mind. Laying a hand over his shoulder, he gives him a knowing smile.

Clark smiles back at him then returns his attention to the main screen and concentrates back on his task. Suddenly Richard's phone rings in his pocket.

The assistant-editor takes the call, surprised that any call can pass through. Since yesterday all communications seem to be impossible due to the wave of panic worldwide. "Hello?"

"Richard White?" an unfamiliar voice asks.

"Yes, it's me."

"May I talk to Clark Kent, please?" the voice says politely.

Richard frowns. "Wait… Who is talk--"

But Clark grabs the phone from his hand swiftly. He recognized the voice he overheard immediately. "Luthor!"

"Hey! Clarky!" the bald man says with a sugary voice then adds, his tone dropping, "… or should I say, Superman…"

Clark grows paler. _He knows…_ "Luthor… What…"

"Tss, tss, tss… You know, Supes; you really disappoint me… Hiding like a rat while you send your bat-pet and your girlfriends do the dirty work…"

The hero understands in a split second. "What?! What did you do to them?!" he says, jumping out of the armchair.

"Why don't we play a little game, SuperFreak, just to celebrate the end of this world?"

Trying to keep his self-control, Clark takes a deep breath. "Lex… It's me that you want, just me. Let them go and I'll be yours…" he says softly under the outraged stare of the two men at his side.

"Oh, yes you'll be mine… but first let's play! You want your girls and your creepy bat-friend? Then let's see if you're still fast enough. Are you still super-fast, Supes? Are you still able to save lives? Are you able to _save the planet from fire_?"

"What? Wait…" Clark starts but the other man hangs up the phone, cutting the conversation there, leaving him motionless, pale, and oblivious to Richard's pressing questions.

"Clark! What did he say?! He has Lois and Lee? Answer me Clark!!" the assistant-editor shakes him.

"Yes… He has Lois, Lee, and he has Bruce, too," the hero says gravely. Running his hand through his thick hair, he tries to think, _'Are you able to save the planet from fire'. It's an enigma… The planet from fire… the Planet! _Starting to walk toward the catwalk, he says, "Lucius, try to locate the origin of that call and continue to search among Earle's files. We're now sure he's connected to Luthor."

"Where are you going?" the black man asks, already sitting in front of the console and knowing it's useless to try to stop the Kryptonian.

"To the Daily Planet. I think they're in danger over there," he says simply as he reaches the Batmobile. "I can't fly but I can still drive," he adds with a little assured smirk.

Running in his direction, Richard says, "And Lois and Lee? They're there?"

"I don't know; he wants to play with me and I think he wants to get to the people I know."

"…Perry and the others… I'm going with you!"

"No, you have to stay here for Jason. I'll take care of this."

"Clark, he has Lois! My fiancée! I won't let you go out there alone in your state," he adds, facing the other man defiantly.

Too tired to argue, Clark just nods and jumps into the car, letting the other man take place in the passenger seat.

"Okay, fasten your seatbelt, it's gonna be quite rough."

Richard looks him sideways. "You've been in this, already?"

The only answer he gets is a lopsided smirk as Clark ignites the engine and steps on the gas. The Batmobile dashes through the waterfall in a loud roar and disappears behind it.


	43. Chapter 42

**Chapter 42**

The Batmobile goes tearing down the road through the outskirts of Metropolis. They've been able to cross the road blocks quite easily, taking advantage of the panic all around and the few tricks this car is capable of. The tough reality of the situation hit Clark fully as they passed through the abandoned suburbs and streets, random lost people crying, calling for help or harassing others along their trip. Richard has kept trying to call Perry or other co-workers, but the lines are overloaded. Even 911 is busy! Both men wonder what they'll find at the Planet. With Luthor, they can expect anything…

The assistant-editor looks sideways at the Kryptonian, who's concentrated on his driving. He's impossibly pale but he seems quite okay. The dark clothes he's wearing give him a strange look, though. _Geez… What is his real style anyway?_ Richard thinks, understanding implicitly that both the Kent and Superman personas are not the real man. Mechanically, he pats his side pocket where he stashed an inhaler Lucius gave him. He's supposed to use it on Clark in case of another attack, which is likely to happen at any moment. As they reach the town center, they spot the Planet building.

"It seems okay from here. Do you think it was a trick?" Richard asks, gazing at the big shiny globe a few blocks away.

"I really don't know. I th--" Clark starts but he's stopped by a loud commotion outside. An explosion has just shaken the city and immediately they see flames and debris breaking out from the upper floors of the Planet building.

"Oh my God!!" Richard cries out as Clark stamps on the accelerator.

They arrive a few moments later at the plaza where many people are running out of the building among the debris, trying to escape it as soon as possible. A firefighter unit is already there and in the panic nobody notices the Batmobile when Clark parks it unceremoniously in the middle of the plaza.

They both run inside, making their way through the frightened crowd. Coming to a halt, Clark tries to evaluate the situation; the elevators are blocked already and a steady flow of people is spreading out of the two main stairwells at each side of the building. It will be hard to walk up in the opposite direction. _The service stairs!_ he thinks as he starts to walk toward the far right of the hall, followed by Richard. Reaching the service door, they try to enter, but realize it's blocked. The assistant-editor is about to throw himself against it to break it open, but Clark stops him.

"No, there are fallen blocks of concrete behind it," he says as he strains his x-ray vision.

"How…" Richard starts but reminds himself who he's with. "What do we do?"

"Get back," Clark simply says as he stands before the door, examining it rapidly.

Looking sideways at his surroundings to be sure he's not seen, he plants his fingers into the metal of the fire-proof door like it was just butter and gives a little push before pulling it toward him. The door cracks and is ripped out of its hinges, loosing of a few of the blocks behind it in a loud noise. Tossing it aside, Clark grabs the different blocks one by one and frees a path to the service stairs. Peering through them, he then turns to Richard, who's still staring at the rumpled door incredulously. "The way is clear; let's go!"

They disappear into the stairs, oblivious of two firefighters looking at them oddly.

* * *

The heavy smoke now blocks the light entirely, making their progression difficult. Richard, coughing and spitting the ash out, tries to make his way into the rubble covering the stairs. "Clark!" he calls out, his blinded eyes itchy and tearing up from the irritating fumes.

A strong hand presses on his shoulder. "Right here," a hoarse voice says behind him.

Looking over his shoulder, Richard squints his eyes as best as he can and sees the broad, dark silhouette just behind him. "Clark, we can't go any further! The path is completely blocked by the debris!"

"Move aside," the other man says, saving his words and breaths as much as he can. Walking past his friend, he stops in front of a big pile of junk and scattered concrete filling the narrow staircase up to the ceiling. By concentrating hard on triggering what's now left of his x-ray vision, he manages to look through it to study the situation. The pile of rubble doesn't go further than three or four meters, then the way seems rather clear. Turning back briefly to Richard, he says "Get back!" then makes a few steps back too and throws himself suddenly onto the wall of debris.

Horrified, Richard hears the deafening noise of the impact but sees nothing other than more smoke and dark dust. Feeling a sudden wave of intense heat hitting his face and a vague light coming from across the obstacle, he carefully walks forward, holding his hands in front of him, calling out, "Clark! Clark! Oh, God." He climbs up the remaining blocks of concrete and finds himself on the opposite side, the rumble and yellow light intensifying dramatically. Looking around, he quickly finds the reporter leaning on the left wall. When he reaches him, he realizes that Clark is cradling his left arm, hunched forward, trying to catch his breath. "Clark! Geez! Did you really have to do that? You know what Lucius said, don't you?"

Still massaging his upper left arm partly exposed by a big tear on his shirt sleeve, Clark looks up at him through his thick mass of hair. "There are people up there. We have to help them."

Peering at the red stains of blood starting to color the fabric of the tall man's sleeve, Richard sighs. _His invulnerability is fading much too quickly._ "Okay... Let's go."

"Richard, you... don't need to do this. You'd better... go back down." Clark says, his breaths now short and uneasy.

"Are you kidding me? These are my friends too up there and besides, even _you_ need a little help right now. So save your breath and let's go!" the young man says, taking the Kryptonian by the arm.

Clark nods tiredly and both men proceed to climb up the rest of the encumbered stairs leading to the upper levels, avoiding the flames that come through some breaches on the wall along the way. Their progression is slow and difficult but they soon manage to arrive at the 33th floor. As Richard is about to open the service door, Clark stops him. "Wait!" Passing once again before his friend, he peers through it and carefully runs his hand a few inches away from its knob. _Heat, intense heat._ The flames are just on the other side, ready to jump on them as soon as the door is opened. Straining his vision a little further at the cost of tremendous efforts, he sees more flames and crumpled walls, bodies, people still alive, trapped, and screaming for help. Their cries resonate in his head painfully. Fighting a wave of nausea caused by the effort, he blinks a few times and tries to block the useless sounds. Stepping back a little, he inhales as deeply as he can, ignoring the smoke that fills his already weakened lungs, suppressing a cough. When he has enough, he blows as hard as he can. The short freezing breath falls upon the knob, refreshing it enough though to touch it. Out of breath once again, Clark quickly opens the door, bracing himself for the heat about to strike them. More burning smoke hits them right in the face as dangerous flames come to lick the ceiling just above them.

Richard instinctively holds his arm in front of his face as a futile protection when he is suddenly lifted and held strongly by the waist. Before he can react, he finds himself at the opposite side of the hall, near the elevators shaft where the flames are less menacing. "What the..." But a loud commotion behind him leaves him with no time for thinking. Clark has just punched on one of the elevators sliding doors and is trying to open them.

"There are some people trapped in this one just a few stairs below! I can hear them!" the Kryptonian says while pushing the metal doors apart rather easily. But just as he wants to peer inside the shaft, another explosion shakes the building, almost making him lose his balance and fall into the hole. The cables suddenly let go in a cringing noise that forces him to put his hands on his ears, and the cabin below immediately starts to fall down at an increasing pace, its occupants screaming even more loudly, adding to Clark's headache. Without a second thought, he jabs his fingers deeply into the metal of one of the doors and throws himself into the shaft, grabbing the falling cables with the other hand. "Hmmfff..." he stifles a cry as the metal slides quickly under his palm, burning his flesh madly, but he stiffens his grip on it anyway, his own weight and the cabin straining on his wounded right shoulder. Forgetting the pain seizing his entire body, he keeps gripping the cable harder and harder, summoning all his remaining super-strength until the cable slows down gradually and the cabin touches the bottom of the shaft softly where the rescue teams will be able to help the people out of it.

Richard, watching helplessly, reaches out for his friend who is now trying to get out of the shaft. "Here! Take my hand!" he says, grabbing him by the belt of his pants with one hand and holding his other hand to him. He cringes slightly when he feels the hot slick sensation of blood when Clark's left hand grabs his wrist shakily. Trying not to think about it, he turns his attention in the direction of the newsroom. With the heavy smoke and the blinding light of the fire, he can't see far. A wave of despair and resignation hits him. They're too late; they can't do anything to help the people trapped there. But the hero seems to think otherwise and once again Richard finds himself thrown aside as Clark blows another refreshing super-breath in the direction of the shattered glass doors leading to the bullpen.

Taking a few seconds to catch his breath and forgetting the ache of his lungs, he turns his head to the door where they came from, hearing something coming from there. Cracking a smile, he turns to Richard and says calmly, "Rescue is on its way. I can hear them. They'll be here soon. We need to hold on just a little longer, okay?"

In awe, Richard looks back at the tall man standing in front of him and at this very moment he understands why he's been called a Superman. Even in the midst of this blaze and chaos, Richard feels oddly safe and secured. He feels hope. The man in front of him might be losing his super powers, but he has lost nothing of his grand aura. He realizes just now that Luthor will never win whatever he does next, as he will never be able to strip that out of him. Superman will be this great selfless being until his very last breath, and long after that his memory itself will bring hope for a future, a promise for greatness. Clark should be in a coma right now, Lucius was positive about that, but the man keeps surprising them all, finding strength when it's clearly impossible. Returning his smile, the assistant editor straightens up and follows him into the blaze. _They'll be alright. Everything will be alright. Superman won't let anything happen to this world without fighting._

* * *

_Smoke. So much smoke._ Stacey feels like she's been here for hours, days maybe. She doesn't even remember how it happened. Could that ugly landmass have already exploded? Is it already the end of the world? Wasn't it supposed to be a few hours later? Trapped under her desk and a portion of the ceiling, she fights for her breath, scared. She can't see anything, lost in darkness. Fighting a wave of claustrophobia, she hugs herself, retreating further into the corner of her desk. Hot painful tears wet her cheeks as she slowly gives up hope and falls into despair. She's going to die here and now. Her life will end here. She should have listen to Geoffrey, her fiancé, when he begged her to desert work today and spend it with him. With Superman gone and hope with him, all they had left was some quality time until the inevitable. She'll never see him again. They were due to wed _next _month, what a shame. They had so many projects, so many wishes for their future. She had a great career in fashion journalism ahead of her. Now crying openly, she buries her head into her arms.

Suddenly, something moves above her. She looks up to see light breaking through the heavy smoke. A golden light surrounds her as more heat strikes her. _That's it_. She's facing her own death. Choking another cry, she wants to fight, to say no to the inevitable when a shadow masks the light partially. Through the haze, she looks more closely to see the broad frame of a man standing there over her, supporting the heavy ceiling in one hand and holding out his other one to her.

"Here Miss, it's alright. Give me your hand," she hears a deep, gentle, and somehow familiar voice say.

Hesitating a moment, she ends up grabbing the strong hand and finds herself lifted to her feet and immediately in the arms of the man as the ceiling falls loudly behind her, concrete shattering on her former desk. Out of shock and fear, she starts to cry, her hands clutching the fabric of the man's shirt.

"Shh, it's alright. You're safe now," she hears him say, his soft voice soothing her.

_Alright. I'll be alright, _are the last thoughts that pass through her mind before she finally passes out.

* * *

"Clark!" Richard calls out, seeing the tall reporter come back to him through the thick smoke with a woman in his arms. Recognizing her immediately as being the young assistant of Jennifer in the fashion department, he says, "Oh, my... is she...?"

"She's okay. Can you... carry her to the elevators... hallway--? There are some... people already there... waiting for the firefighters." Clark says, between gasps.

Richard starts, "Sure, but Clark..." but it's already too late as the reporter has disappeared again into the flames.

They go on like that a few moments, Clark bringing back most of his trapped co-workers and making them pass through the flames and deadly smoke at super-speed, and Richard making sure they're safe in the hallway. The rescuers have just arrived and while some of them try to fight the flames to open new paths, others help people going down the stairs to safety.

After a moment, not seeing the reporter come back anymore, Richard throws himself into the raging blaze against the will of the firefighters. Protecting himself as much as he can with a few layers of coats he found on the closest desks, he jumps into the flames, ignoring their burning bite on his hands and legs. He crosses the bullpen and reaches Perry's office, or more like where it was supposed to be. This entire part of the floor collapsed into the 32th below and part of the 34th above threatens to fall onto what's left of it. Most of the smoke is washed away by the air coming from the outside but unfortunately, it's also fanning the flames nearby, weakening the structure dangerously. That's when he sees Clark on his knees, digging through the rubble, his hands and arms covered with blood and his expression frantic. "Clark!" Richard says, climbing down the debris to reach him.

"They're both here. I can... hear their heartbeats!!" the reporter says, out of breath. Not caring the least for his hurting hands, he keeps digging through the concrete, lifting chunks of metal wires, pieces of ceiling and various other debris. Richard tries to help him but realizes that he's not strong enough to lift most of the rubble there. Instead he tries to ease Clark's labor, adding his ridiculous human strength to the still powerful alien's to lift the heaviest chunks. After a few more minutes, they finally see something, the torn fabric of a shirt. Carefully moving aside a few more debris, they manage to clear the way until the upper part of a blooded and dusty body can be seen.

Richard stares in shock at the lifeless form of the old man who is laying face down, hunched over something. "It's... it's Perry... Oh no..." he starts, uncontrolled tears wetting his cheeks.

"They're... still alive." Clark whispers, still trying to clear the way.

"They?" Just then, Richard notices the smaller form under his uncle's body. "Jimmy?" The young man, also unconscious, is sprawled under his boss's broad frame, Perry's arms above his head.

"Perry... must have... tried to protect... him... when the... ceiling fell onto them," the reporter manages to say, grabbing an enormous piece of armed concrete. He pulls hard, but nothing moves. Almost falling back head first into the hole, he tries again, shifting his grip on another side. Richard wants to help him but he says, "No! Be... prepared to get... them out... of here. I... don't think... I... won't... able... lift it... long..." failing to speak complete sentences now.

Richard just nods and waits patiently for his friend to catch his breath and gather enough strength. After a few seconds, Clark grabs the concrete on another side and pulls as hard as he can, summoning once again a strength he's not supposed to have anymore, his dying cells denying him his vital recharges now. The massive piece starts to move slightly then, inch by inch, and is lifted until Richard can dive under it and reach for his uncle. He grabs him by the armpits and lifts him as fast as he can, dragging him up and away from his trap. Throwing a worried look at Clark who is now fighting to keep the ceiling up, his face red and distorted by the effort, his arms trembling helplessly, Richard gets Jimmy out too. As he lay him down next to Perry, the piece of concrete falls back in place, the force of the impact making him lose his balance and fall on the rubble. In the corner of his eyes, he sees Clark fall down on his knees. "Clark!" he shouts but, as he tries to reach his friend, another part of the remaining ceiling detaches itself and falls onto him, knocking him down instantly.

"No!" Seeing the assistant-editor fall a few meters away from him, Clark crawls frantically toward him. _No, not him. They have to be fine, all of them... _Unable to hear anything clearly anymore as his ears are now buzzing painfully, he tries to find a pulse on Richard's throat, and triggers his x-ray vision. When he finds one and realizes that the young man is alright, he sighs heavily then crawls to the two bodies laying further away. Rapidly checking on Jimmy, he sees that the kid has a few broken ribs and a big contusion but nothing serious. Relieved, he then checks on Perry with trembling hands. The old man is in a more serious condition, signs of internal bleeding showing under his ribcage and broken legs.

As the reporter tries to look more closely at his boss's wound before his x-ray vision leaves him completely, Perry groans suddenly, his eyes fluttering opened. "Cl... Clark?"

"Shh... it's okay, Chief. I'm getting... you... out of here..." Clark says, smiling gently.

"J... Jimmy..."

"He's okay." The young man looks up suddenly at the rest of the ceiling cracking dangerously above them. "We need... to get out of here." Gently, he puts his hands under his boss's back and legs and lifts him, eliciting some cries from him. "I... sorry..." he whispers.

Dan runs back into the hallway. Motioning his crew to get out, the chief-firefighter barks his orders in his radio. "Everybody out! This floor is about to collapse!!" Satisfied, he sees his men carrying the last survivors out of the inferno and is about to follow them when he notices a shadow emerging from the flames. "Jesus!!" he says when the staggering figure materializes into a man carrying three others, one on his back and one under each arm. "Bob, John, Ethan!! Get back here! There are four people left!!" he says into his walkie-talkie.

Seeing the firefighter running toward him, Clark feels relief overwhelming him. _They're safe._ He couldn't save them all, but at least his friends are now safe. Exhaustion gets the best of him and he stumbles into the arms of the man, barely registering the other three rushing to them and easing him of Perry, Richard, and Jimmy. Now wheezing loudly, he fights to stay conscious, leaning heavily on the rescuer. "No one... no one's alive... left..." he stammers, his spirit crying for his dead co-workers.

"You've done all you could, son." the older man says, taking his arm and wrapping it around his shoulder to ease him to the stairs. As they disappear behind the service door, the newsroom bursts in flames and the rest of the ceiling collapses with a deafening noise.


	44. Chapter 43

Chapter 43

Uncontrollable shivers shaking his body despite the warm blanket he's wrapped in, Clark looks up at the top of the building in flames, the fiery globe lost in the midst of the thick, black smoke. The Daily Planet, _his journal and second home_, has been just wiped out by that maniac. The reporter's gaze falls back down on the many gurneys aligned in the park in front of the plaza. So many people have already died or have been wounded because of him, of what he is. How many more will have to suffer the consequences of his sole existence?

Sirens, people crying, others shouting orders and more various sounds from the still raging blaze high up above start to mix with the permanent painful buzz in his head, louder and louder until it becomes almost unbearable, tearing a whimper out of his burning throat. His cyclic inability to block out the sounds scares him to death. He could just die from dementia because of this, maybe even before the poison and/or his disease finish him. His remaining powers keep faltering, leaving him completely, just to return altered or weakened.

Being seated at the back of one of the fire trucks, safely led there, away from the crowd of the victims, ambulances, police, journalists, and lurkers, he looks at the various rescuers around him. _Fear, despair and disillusion_; he can see it in their eyes.

When they dragged him out of the inferno, he soon realized that they had recognized him, probably by witnessing him making his way through the service stairs quite spectacularly. He then noticed the disbelief in their expression when they kept scrutinizing him, wounded and weak and how their boss ordered them to stay discreet and bring him away from the crowd. Now he senses their deception, seeing that his wounds just aren't healing by themselves as they should, that he isn't taking to the air in his bright blue and red suit to kill the fire with a single powerful breath. _They were all relying on me_. Whatever they had imagined when he disappeared a few days ago, they certainly didn't expect to see him back here, weakened and helpless like this.

A new wave of nausea catches him off guard. Inhaling sharply, he feels his lungs constricting painfully, denying him the oxygen he needs. _The inhaler... Richard has it…_ Choking, he looks around, his bloodshot eyes searching frantically for the assistant-editor, but he's not in sight, surely still unconscious or worse, already being taken to an hospital. As his surroundings spin around him dangerously, he grips the side of the truck, fighting the dark veil enveloping him. His own wheezing resonates in his ears. _It's here._ Just in range again to send its deadly radiation to him, New Krypton is teasing him once again within its loop...

"Sir? Are you alright?" an alarmed voice echoes nearby. Dan, who noticed the sudden change in the young man's condition, has rushed toward him and is there just in time to keep him from falling head first off the back step of the truck. "Ethan! Go get Kate! Hurry!!" he says to one of his men.

"Yes, Dan!" the man says, already zooming away toward the park at the opposite side of the street.

"And keep low profile, ok? You know what I mean," he adds.

"Roger that, Chief!!"

Turning back to face the man leaning heavily in his arms, choking and wheezing, the chief-firefighter says, "Hold on, Sir. The EMT is on her way."

Between gasps, Clark manages to say, "N-no...", still fighting to stay conscious as his system begs for oxygen.

"Don't worry, Kate is a reliable friend. You can trust her to keep your identity safe."

"An... I need... Richard... Richard White... has... inhaler..." the hero struggles to speak, trying mechanically to get out of Dan's grip, his body asking for a useless space.

Clueless to what the man is asking, the chief-firefighter tries to straighten him a little and calls out to another of his crew, "John! Bring me an oxygen mask!"

As, one by one, all the firefighters gather around the truck, alerted by the alarmed voice of their chief, John hurries and retrieves their oxygen equipment, bringing it rapidly to his boss.

Through the haze of pain and at the verge of consciousness, Clark feels helpless, his body escaping his own will, shaking violently. He hears nothing but a loud buzz, unknown echoing voices saying unrecognizable words around him, hands pressing on his body painfully, touching his already oversensitive skin. Something comes in contact with his face, intensifying his sensation of asphyxia. He struggles to get rid of it but his hands are stopped and held away. Panicking, he tries to shout, but only moans and groans escape his swollen throat. _Richard... Lee... Lois… Lucius... _He wants them all here.They know what he needs... they could tell them... He feels so alone now, so helpless. _Father! Help me! Help me keep my promise... _

"Get that mask off him!!" a woman yells from behind. Making her way through the gathered firefighters, Kate the EMT, a short woman with brown mid-length hair, closely followed by Richard, rushes toward Clark now held in place by Dan and John. "Here, Superman," she says softly, bringing the inhaler Richard just gave her a few minutes ago to Clark's gaping mouth. "Breathe."

Richard, who just pushed the two men away from the hero unceremoniously, holds him by the shoulders and says, "It's ok, Cl- Superman. Just inhale as deep as you can."

Clark makes a first attempt without much success, his body still shaking violently, but a small portion of the special drug makes its way throughout his throat and lungs and opens them partially. Through the midst of pain, he hears the familiar voice of his friend prodding him to try again. Divided between letting go and let the welcoming unconsciousness engulf him, or fighting to stay awake and have to suffer the pain, he finally complies and inhales more deeply this time. _I have to fight... I have to stay awake from now on..._ _until the end. _He knows that, at this point, if he passes out, he won't ever wake up again.

"He's coming back." Richard says, relieved, seeing how the hero's eyes darken back a little into their former shade of blue.

Exhausted, the young Kryptonian looks around as his breaths slowly ease and his blurry vision clears. He realizes, abashed, that the entire firefighting unit is staring at him.

"Are you feeling better, Sir?" the young woman says gently, checking on him.

He just nods, leaning his head back against the metallic back of the truck. Trying to ignore the scrutinizing stares on him, he closes his eyes and breathes deeply, letting the woman tend to his wounds.

Suddenly feeling the weight of the situation upon him, Richard gazes back at the still blazing Planet with teary eyes. _Perry, Jimmy and the others…_ _So much waste… as if it wasn't already enough with the upcoming cataclysm. Damn you Luthor…If you've done anything to Lois I'll crush you myself!! _

His dark thoughts are suddenly interrupted by the ringing of his phone. Grabbing it quickly, he immediately recognizes the number: _Lois!_


	45. Chapter 44

**Chapter 44: Luthor's lair**

«It's time to reunite, don't you think?» the soothing voice of Luthor still echoes in Clark's throbbing head as he gazes through the passenger window of the batmobile, making its way through the messy traffic between Gotham and Metropolis.

As soon as he overheard the maniac on Richard's phone, he immediately leapt up from the back of the fire truck with renewed energy and grabbed the cellular. "You, fucking bastard!!" he couldn't refrain from cursing, much to the utter shock of people around him, including the assistant-editor. They were clearly not accustomed to hearing the Man of Steel swearing like that, nor could Richard even imagine Clark Kent doing so, either! But this time it was too much for the hero; too many lives had been broken and too many were still in jeopardy. He was so tired of all this, _so tired_…

Not the least bit impressed by this humorous outburst, Luthor finally unveiled the location of his hideout and invited him for the final confrontation, perfectly certain now that he could take advantage of the hero's aggrieved state.

"You know it's a trap, don't you?" Richard says, his eyes fixed on the road ahead as he maneuvers the special car amongst random wrecks and people.

"I know," Clark answers simply. He casually taps one of the many buttons on the dashboard and the radar screen is immediately replaced by the flicking image of Lucius still waiting at the manor.

"I heard the police reports," the black man says, his face serious and afflicted. "I'm sorry."

Clark just nods, then says, "Luthor called again and invited me to his lair. I'm sending you the coordinates." He types the address on the little keyboard under the screen, then adds, "Can you meet us there in fifteen minutes? I want someone to take Lois and Lee out of there quickly."

At these words spoken with a frightening calm, Richard grits his teeth. Clark's behavior has changed; he seems to have shut himself off from any emotion since he lost his temper a few minutes ago with Luthor's phone call.

"Sure, it correlates with what I found on Earle's files you unlocked before leaving. The place seems to be a gigantic underground maze entirely leaned with lead. No wonder you couldn't find him, " Lucius answers. With his usual smile, he adds, "I'll bring you some gadgets to help you clean the place. See you in fifteen." The image flickers to return to the radar.

* * *

The batmobile parks in a dark alley hidden from sight, not far from hangar 44's main gate. Lucius is already there in a dark gray 4X4 with tinted black windows, waiting for them. His calm expression barely betrays his affliction when he sees Clark trying to extricate himself from the passenger seat with great difficulty, his tired face distorted from the pain. The hero then leans a few seconds on the car to catch his breath before composing himself and heading to the rear of the car Lucius has come in.

Opening the trunk, Fox proudly uncovers some of his creations; a complete set of firearms, electronic gadgets and explosives. Richard's eyes open widely upon seeing those and he takes in the implication of all this, a knot growing in his throat. They'll have to fight _for real _to save the ones they love and they'll probably have to _kill_… Looking sideway at the former super-hero, he still sees no discernible emotion in him and somehow it breaks his heart. Superman used to represent pureness and compassion; now all he sees is a broken man ready for blood.

Oblivious to his friend's thoughts, Clark gazes at the arsenal a moment, and then turns to the two other men. "Lucius, you stay here and prepare to take the girls away as soon as they get out." He retrieves a miniaturized ear plug and gives it to the assistant-editor, keeping one for him. "This one's for you. Just push on the trigger here to talk. I'll go first and will occupy Luthor's thugs. You, Richard, you get in after me and you find the girls and Bruce. I highly doubt that Luthor has any intention of keeping his promise to release them. Just tell me when you have them and get out."

"Sure, but-" Richard starts, but Clark cuts him off, putting the backpack full of weapons in his arms.

"You just get them out of there at any cost, okay? I'll take care of the rest." He then turns his back to them and starts to walk toward the hangar, his expression closed off.

Richard wants to hold him back, not sure that he's ready for this, but Lucius hushes him with a negative shake of his head, his hand tapping on the assistant-editor's shoulder empathetically. Gulping painfully, the young man looks at the bag in his hands. _This is for real…_

* * *

Clark's ample strides resonate on the concrete of the long sterile corridor. As he expected, the way from the hangar entrance to the hidden passage leading underground was left open for him and he just has to follow the way led by the various unlocked heavy metallic doors. He feels like a mouse heading directly into a trap, but it doesn't matter; he has no other choice, and besides, he wants to come face to face with his nemesis so badly and confront him. If it's the last thing he'll be able to do it has to be this; he has to put an end to Luthor's actions once and for all.

Another dark veil passes before his eyes and he's forced to lean on the frame of a door to keep his balance. Taking a shaky breath, he closes his eyes a brief moment, trying to gather the remnant of strength he's left with. All his powers are now completely gone and he really has no clue about how he's supposed to fight Luthor in this state, but he refuses to think about that, concentrating instead on his objective : give Richard time to save the girls, then stop the maniac at any cost. He's used to the fact that he won't save the planet from NK explosion, but he may be able at least to prevent Luthor from getting away and taking advantage of the devastated world. _Superman won't be there anymore after that to protect the survivors, so I must clean up this mess before it's too late..._ the reporter thinks, sighing heavily before resuming his slow descent through the underground maze.

He finally passes through a last doorway leading to a void of complete darkness. By the echo made by his steps he deduces that the room he just entered is huge and deep but his now powerless eyes don't allow him to see anything through the dark. He takes a few more careful steps, then stops suddenly when he hears the sultry voice of Luthor a few meters ahead of him. "Hello, Supes."

A few powerful spotlights illuminate the room suddenly, blinding him. In a vain attempt to protect his painful eyes, he covers them with his arm, faltering slightly and unable to hide the soft moan escaping his mouth as the light ignites more pain in his throbbing skull.

Luthor seems to have noticed that and takes all his time to contemplate the other man, a wicked pleasure obvious on his face. "At last…"

Getting a little more comfortable with the glaring light, Clark squints his eyes to clear his blurry vision, then looks around him, noticing that he's surrounded by a bunch of armed goons all scrutinizing him with a clear mix of hate and fear. A few meters behind Luthor, Clark spots Kitty Kowalski between two thugs and he immediately sees her swollen face and black eye. Her expression is resigned and she lowers her gaze when Clark's clear blue eyes fall on her. As his sight finally clears, he discovers the giant eagle-like vessel still trapped in the maze of scaffoldings. "What the--" he starts, unable to hide his surprise.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Lex says, following his enemy's gaze. "Your bat-friend was as surprised as you when he saw it, and even more surprised when he learned that it was constructed primarily with the help of Wayne Enterprises' long lost resources. This jewel was originally designed to help me recover _my_ crystals from the landmass you stole from me, but..." He pauses for effect while retrieving something from his inside pocket at Clark's utter shock. "My dear Kitty obliged me by saving this one for me."

_The father crystal!!!_ With renewed hope, Clark starts to walk to the maniac, hypnotized by his home's treasure, but Luthor takes a step back and nods to the thugs closest to the reporter.

At his sign they immediately seize Clark by the arms, preventing any escape while a third one places himself in front of him, cracking his knuckles in anticipation. Clark takes a deep breath, a sense of deja vu overwhelming him. The first blow is a hard hit to his stomach, cutting his breath short, but he clenches his jaw, bracing himself for the next one. _I have to hold on... I need to give Richard time... and I need to get the crystal back... at any cost,_ he keeps repeating to himself as he stays unfaltering despite the pain. From the minuscule earplug inside his left ear, he hears Richard inform him that he's in the complex and that so far, everything's okay for him. I _have to hold on..._ _As long as I endure this, they'll keep concentrated on me only_. His ribcage cracks as he muffles a moan.

* * *

Richard walks slowly, his paralyzing dart-gun firmly clasped in hand, careful to follow the shadows to not be seen. He prays that Clark will be able to divert attention enough for him to stay unnoticed along the way. So far it seems that that's the case as he's met and seen no one. Soon he arrives in front of a slightly opened door where muffled sounds are emanating from. Peering inside, he sees a man hunched over a console full of different monitoring screens. _Exactly what I need, good_, he thinks as he sneaks silently inside. As he hoped, the man, enthralled by what appears on one of the screens, doesn't notice him, and he has no difficulty knocking him out cold with a soporific dart. Looking at the monitor that had the goon's sole attention, he suddenly realizes that it's showing Clark being beaten down badly without putting up a fight, while Luthor is watching sadistically. _Clark, no…_ His trembling hand comes to his ear, pressing on the minuscule trigger. "Clark! I… I'm coming… Hold on!" he says with a shaky voice, but he immediately sees the reporter shaking his head forcefully as a negative answer just before collapsing on his knees after another vicious blow to his lower belly. _You just get them out of there at any cost…_ he remembers his friend saying. With a tremendous effort, he tears his eyes away from the screen, then searches through the others until he finds what he's looking for. With one last look at Clark's sacrifice, he takes a deep breath and exits the room hastily.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Lois gazes at the flickering light on the ceiling of the tiny room. _How did we come to all this_, she asks herself, hugging Lee protectively in her arms. The two women are huddled together in a corner of the sordid room, waiting for Luthor to do whatever he has planned for them. Looking down, the fierce reporter checks on the sleeping man whose head rests on her lap. When they got caught by Luthor's goons while seeking the so called Ralph, they were brought here. The poor homeless guy was no longer in this world and the crystal was already the renewed property of Luthor. Lois didn't even have a chance to meet the man she hated the most in the world before being thrown with her blind friend into this cell where Bruce, alias Batman, was already being kept. The poor man was in real bad shape and his naked form was chilled from cold and injuries. They immediately put their coats over him and tried their best to tend his wounds with what they had at hand.

The door opens suddenly with a cringing noise, waking Bruce up. Before he can focus his vision, a powerful kick to his back makes him jerk out of Lois lap and cower against the wall. He barely acknowledges the screams of the two women while they're led outside the cell before passing out again.

"Mr Wayne… Mr Wayne… wake up… Bruce…"

Bruce slowly wakes up but doesn't let it show, not making a single move, trying to gather his strength to not miss the opportunity to escape. When he feels a hand on his bare shoulder, he suddenly turns around and grabs his opponent by the neck before realizing that it's Lois Lane's fiancé.

"Woah! It's me, Richard. I'm here to get you out of here," Richard says quickly while he untangles himself without much difficulty from Bruce's desperate, weak hold.

"The girls… they took them away…" the billionaire says groggily as he tries to get up.

"I know, I saw them; the guys said that Luthor wanted to confront them with Clark," Richard says while helping him getting to his feet.

Bruce, leaning on the wall to steady his balance, looks the assistant-editor in the eye. "Clark? What the hell is he doing here?" Putting his throbbing head into his right hand he adds, "What day is it, anyway?"

Richard looks at him gravely. "We've got something like eight hours before NK's explosion. Okay, can you walk?"

Coming back to his senses rapidly, Bruce straightens up. "Yes, but I need something to put on; I don't want to kick Luthor's freaky ass in my birthday suit."

The assistant-editor sniggers at that, then throws the batsuit into the other man's hands. "Here! It was in the room next to this one. It looks like the mask is missing, though."

Bruce looks at him quizzically, but decides that his head definitely hurts too much to think about who might knows his dual identity. It doesn't matter anyway… "Thanks," he says while putting it on quickly, despite his sore body. It feels good to be dressed again, and he's willing to make the maniac pay for this humiliation. "Okay, did you bring weapons?"

Richard shows him the backpack he has with him.

"Okay, lead the way," the now black-clad knight says while checking his belt.

* * *

"Bruce is with me; he's okay…" Clark hears in his earplug. Sketching out a faint smile, he thinks, _The plan seems to be working…_ but suddenly he hears a cry and sees Lois and Lee appearing out of the darkness bathing most of the hangar, pushed by four heavily armed thugs.

"Clark!!" Lois cries out when she sees her friend kneeling miserably on the floor and spitting out his own blood with two men holding him by the arms.

Squeezing Lois's left arm, Lee asks, her voice cracking from fear, "Clark? Lois! Tell me!"

"Lee…Lois…" the reporter tries to say, but no sound escapes his mouth, already full with his own blood. He chokes on it instead and coughs repeatedly under Luthor's exalted sight.

Turning to the ladies who are kept at a safe distance, the maniac says triumphantly, "Don't worry, blind woman, your little Clarky is here with us."

"You promised to release them…" Clark finally manages to say without much conviction between labored breaths.

Fueled by his voice, Lee suddenly kicks the guy at her side and launches herself in Luthor's direction. Before she can reach him, Hendricks appears out of nowhere and knocks her down with a swift move of the back of his arm. Lois and Clark both scream when the poor girl collapses on the ground, unconscious.

Clark tries to stand up but he's now no match in his condition against the two thugs holding him. He cries out of frustration. _It's not supposed to be like this! Damn you Richard_, he thinks, before realizing how unfair he's being. Richard is a strong and courageous man, but he's no super-hero. What can he do alone against Luthor and his organized mercenaries when Superman himself failed miserably at trying?

Sniffing theatrically, Luthor retrieves a handkerchief and blows in it. "Aww… Clarky Clarky… You know you never learn… Wasn't it already complicated enough with one woman, that you wanted two? You little lady killer," he adds with a mocking tone.

"It's not--" Lois and Clark both start simultaneously but they stop when the maniac grabs a gun from Hendricks' holster and arms it.

_No, no…_ Clark thinks to himself asthe scene reminds him of his last nightmare. Seeing his enemy pointing his gun toward Lee, he tries to come up with an idea. Suddenly, his expression changes drastically, a little smirk showing up. "Go on," he simply says, looking at Lex defiantly.

Lois stares back at him, shocked, while Luthor, surprised, turns around to meet his gaze. "What did you say?"

Still held firmly by the two men surrounding him, the reporter holds Luthor's piercing stare, his own eyes darkening slightly. "I said go on. She's already dead anyway; we all are."

Clearly unsettled by Clark's new indifferent tone, the maniac outlines a nervous laugh. "Aww, poor Clarky… I think that you're losing it now. It must be the poison or… You're bluffing," he adds with a dark expression.

Still holding onto his nonchalant self, the reporter nods in the direction of the vessel behind them and adds "Are you really such an idiot to believe that this thing will save you from the annihilation of Earth? Do you have a single idea of the real magnitude of the landmass explosion?"

His left eyebrow trembling slightly, Luthor now faces him entirely and starts to walk slowly to him, disarming his gun and handing it to Hendricks. "Don't you see that it's my own Noah's ark? Once the world is reshaped, renewed, I'll bring light to the people… I'll be their new savior!!" he says, excited.

"Foolish, brainless man! There won't be anyone left on this planet to hear your 'holy speech'! The impact will destroy half of the planet itself and the toxic gas will kill the rest! If you really survive this, you'll be the last one of your kind and believe me, from experience, there's no glory in it, you eccentric idiot!" Clark marks these two last words with an aggressive tone.

"Idiot?! Brainless?!" With a nervous move of his hand, he dismisses the two thugs surrounding the kneeling reporter. They immediately release him and step back. "Brainless?!" Luthor continues, rummaging into his pocket. He suddenly crosses the last two meters separating him from Clark at full speed and grabs him by the hair, bringing his fetish chunk of kryptonite out of his pocket and brandishing it at him. "Mind will always win over muscle, you freak!" he hisses under Lois's fearful cries.

As soon as he noticed the green toxic crystal, Clark stiffened, anticipating the pain to come, but when Lex presses it slightly against his throat, a triumphant smile on his face, he closes his eyes. Suddenly he opens themagain in amazement. _No pain? Nothing, he feels nothing! No heat, no burning… nothing!_ Seeing the abashed look on his opponent who tries to press it more until a few drops of blood drip from his neck, the Kryptonian comes to the realization that it has no effect on him anymore… At first giggling, he soon starts to laugh openly when the maniac steps back suddenly, releasing him, a shocked expression on his pale face. "I told you, Luthor…" he finally says while getting to his feet with an unexpected fluidity. The goons surrounding him all step back in fear, holding their guns up to him, but he continues to laugh until his bruised ribcage won't let him anymore. He ends up coughing a little then takes a deep breath. "You think you're smart, but you wanted to kill my alien cells so badly with your poison that you made me human and ended up healing me from my sensitivity to kryptonite! And you call yourself a genius!? Ahahahahah…."

"Argh!! You!" Luthor finally says, throwing his kryptonite chunk away before grabbing Hendrick's gun again and aiming at Clark.

The Kryptonian is on him in a split second.

**BANG!!!!**


	46. Chapter 45

Chapter 4' part two : So long Luthor

BANG !!

The gun makes a clanging noise when it hits the floor a few meters behind Lex after Clark has knocked it out of his hand. A long moment passes while the two men face each other, unmoving. Feeling sudden warmth on his left bicep, Clark looks at it, his gaze followed by his enemy. _Blood…_ The hot liquid flows along under the torn sleeve of his silk black shirt, following the curves of his blemished skin. The bullet passed through his flesh and out, leaving a deep dripping gash on each side. Ignoring the growing pain with scary easiness, he looks back at Luthor with a cynical smirk. "What did you expect? Superman is no more. He's **dead**."

Incredibly frustrated, the maniac stares helplessly at the shockingly common red blood, nausea filling his gut_. Wrong, I was so wrong… What fun is this now? All I wanted was to crush a god in my hand. What's the point here? Where's the glory?_ he thinks, staring at the tall man in front of him with growing disdain.

"Give me the crystal now," Clark says with an authoritative tone, his blue eyes darkening more and more.

___Wrong… This is so wrong…_ Luthor thinks, feeling frustration and rage overwhelming him. He suddenly throws himself at his enemy, his hands reaching for his neck in hope to strangle him but the reporter dodges his attack with a feline move, catching the bald man's right wrist and twisting it until this last one cries out and kneels at his feet. Looking at him menacingly, the hero tightens his grip, twisting the swollen wrist a little more and Lex finally gives up, not able to bear the pain anymore. "All right! All right!! Here!!" he cries, giving him the crystal.

The Kryptonian takes it and releases his grip immediately, glaring at him. "And now, you'd better pray that I can still use it in time," he says, turning his back to him and walking away. He takes a few steps and kneels beside the still unconscious Lee, gathering her up carefully in his arms under the silent glare of all the goons who seem paralyzed by their boss's resignation. Taking the opportunity, Lois runs to him, tears flowing silently down her cheeks. Smiling at her softly, Clark then turns his head to Luthor and says, «You once said to Superman that he was nothing without you… Tell me about reciprocity." With one last look full of honest mercy for his enemy, he sighs and walks away slowly with Lee in his arms and Lois trotting at his side.

"You won't mind if I don't share your incongruous laxity, Buddy?" the imposing, shadowy figure says, perched high on one of the catwalks surrounding Lex's giant prototype.

Everyone including Clark turns around, baffled, as the Dark Knight glides down from his promontory, his raven black cape deployed like the wings of a bird of prey. He lands smoothly just in front of Luthor and before the man can react, Bruce punches him powerfully in the face, throwing him to the ground a few meters behind. "This is for taking my suit, you lecherous, bald, brat!!" The goons immediately snap out of their vegetative state and open fire to help their boss, but the caped billionaire is faster, knocking their guns out of their hands with a few batarangs.

For a moment time seems to stop and Clark and Bruce exchange thoughtful looks, then the reporter notices the lopsided grin on his friend's face as his hand comes to rest on his belt. Immediately after that, all Hell breaks loose when a sudden massive explosion blows the eagle-jet out and everything around it. In slow motion, the reporter sees the ball of fire spreading out, illuminating the huge hangar behind the dark silhouette of his friend and the men around him. Anticipating the shock wave, the reporter turns around and grabs Lois, holding her close against him with Lee still in his other arm. The sizzling blast washes over him but he doesn't falter, his feet firm on the ground and his raven hair flowing, his broad frame protecting the two women against him.

Appearing at the doorway Clark came through, Richard calls out to them, waving, "Clark!! Lois!! Over here!!"

With a rapid look over his shoulder to be sure that Bruce is following him, Clark starts to run to the doorway, avoiding the burning debris as much as he can while protecting the women in his arms.

In the midst of smoke and falling debris, Luthor, seated on the ground, dazed, looks at his men trying to escape and save their lives, then he turns his attention to his beloved 'ark' falling to pieces in the raging flames. He doesn't even notice the frail arms of Kitty enveloping his shoulders as the young woman kneels next to him and hugs him tenderly, her expression sad. He lets her force his head gently against her chest, and she rocks him softly until he closes his eyes. They finally disappear behind a heavy curtain of black smoke.

When he arrives at the doorway, out of breath, Clark lets Richard take Lee from his arms and takes a look back at the hangar, searching for Bruce. Horrified, he realizes that the billionaire has not gone far; he's now trapped under a big, torn piece of scaffolding.

"Richard, get the girls out of here! Quick! The entire complex is bound to collapse!" the reporter says, pushing Lois into the corridor and stepping back into the blaze.

"No!! Clark!! It's too dangerous!!" Lois cries out, clinging to him.

But he pushes her away, his expression firm. "Get out of here; I'll catch you later! I promise." Turning back, he soon disappears into the heavy smoke.

Stubborn, Lois wants to follow him, but Richard holds her back, "Lois! He'll get back to us!! Come on!!"

_You promised_, Lois thinks, tears in her eyes as she follows her fiancé through the now cracking and smok-filled corridor.

* * *

As soon as he heard the commotion followed by the low rumble, Lucius knew that he had to be ready. Keeping the 4X4 at a safe distance from the huge hangar, he keeps the engine running, ready to leave when he sees a flow of armed goons running out of the building, followed by what looks like a bunch of scientists and technicians. A few moments later, Richard appears, holding a limp Lee with Lois on his trail.

The black man immediately gets out of the car, relieving the assistant-editor of the groggy woman in his arms. Seeing Lois, who keeps looking back at the hangar from where a now dark gray column of smoke emanates, he asks, "Bruce and Clark?"

"Clark stayed behind to help Wayne get out. He ordered us to go," Richard answers, clearly afflicted.

"He promised…" Lois whispers as if to herself.

Suddenly, the whole building collapses on itself in a roaring rumble, making the ground tremble powerfully under their feet.

Lois makes a few steps, crying out loud, "Nooooo!!!" then falls to her knees, staring at the expanding cloud of dust and smoke before them.

A long moment passes, Lois, Richard, and Lucius staring silently at the raging furnace. Lee finally, slowly comes back to her senses. Feeling cool air on her skin, she understands that they're not underground anymore. Sensing a strong arm on her shoulder, she asks groggily, "Clark?"

"He…" Richard starts, not really sure how to tell her, his own tears falling freely down his dusty cheeks. Hearing Lois behind him squeal suddenly, he looks back at the slowly dissipating cloud.

A vague silhouette has gradually materialized through the dust and slowly takes shape to reveal the form of two men, one supporting the other, walking toward them and out of the rubble.

"Holly Sh-" the assistant-editor murmurs as he recognizes the former super-hero dragging his friend away from the inferno. Following Lois and Lucius, he runs to them.

Making a tremendous effort to cross the last distance that separates him from his friends, Clark tugs on his unconscious friend's left arm over his shoulder, readjusting his grip on him. The billionaire seems so heavy on his sore back, and his wounds send bolts of pain throughout his body. Breathing with great difficulty, he manages to go on until Richard, Lucius, and Lois reach him. Now eased of the weight of his friend, taken away by the two other men, he finally lets go into Lois' arms, making her fall to her knees with him. Through the haze of pain, he manages to smile softly, his vision blurry and blinded by the bright sky. "I told you…" he whispers weakly.

"Yes…" she replies back, hot tears in her eyes.

Rummaging with his trembling, bloody hand under his opened shirt, he retrieves the crystal and shows it to her. "I… I need to get this back to… to my fortress… in the Arctic…" he says, his voice hoarse and shaky.

Sniffing loudly, she forces a smile, "Okay."

* * *


	47. Chapter 46

**Chapter 46 :The Last Hope…**

The private jet of Wayne Enterprises flies high above the sea of clouds. After having left Lucius at the Manor to take care of a rather badly injured Bruce, Richard, Lois, and Lee escorted Clark to Wayne's private airport where the small but fast plane was chartered for them. After an arrangement made with the Air Force by Lucius on Wayne's behalf, Richard was allowed to take off and head north with an express authorization to land on a northern scientific outpost not far from North Pole. They should be there in two hours or so.

Clark, tucked under a generous amount of blankets, is shaken by uncontrollable chills. Freezing literally from inside, he feels no pain anymore despite his numerous internal and external wounds, but he keeps this to himself as he understands it as a sure sign of his downfall. Looking at Lee, who's seated at his side, rubbing his back absently, he then gazes at Lois in front of him. His former partner holds his crystal preciously, looking at it with a sad expression. He frowns slightly, then says with a tired, cracking voice, "You both should have stayed at the Manor like I asked you. If I fail…"

"You won't fail!" the two women say in unison, forcing a faint smile on his blemished face.

"Lois, you have to take care of Jason; you have no right to leave him alone. Needing Richard's help makes me feel guilty enough already, and…" He doesn't finish his sentence, strangled by a coughing attack that leaves him out of breath and sweaty.

Lee hugs him while Lois mops his forehead up with a tissue, ignoring his reproof. He's absolutely right though and she feels guilty indeed, but she also has an unspoken reason for being here, despite being at his side selfishly for the most important moment of their lives: after him, she's the only one here to have been to the Fortress of Solitude, and if he happens to pass out before arriving, she'll be the only one able to guide them there.

Lee, on the other hand, has no qualms being here right next to the man she loves; where else should she be, anyway? Her blindness? She'll make sure to not be a burden for her friends, ready even to wait for them and stay behind if needed at any time. Besides, she knows she can be useful; she doesn't know how yet, but still she's pretty sure of it.

Sighing heavily, Clark lets his head rest on the luxury passenger seat, and looks through the window at the dying rays of sun pouring their golden light on the silk clouds. He used to love the sun so much… and the clouds, he loved flying above them… Letting his thoughts wander, he doesn't realize at first that his eyelids are closing, and it's just at the dangerous edge of slumber that he snaps out of it, horrified. _I can't let go… I won't wake up again…_ Grabbing Lee's hand in his cold one, he asks her groggily, "Lee, please… keep me awake…"

Frowning, she rubs his hand vigorously. "I promise, Clark. Just hold on, we'll be there in less than an hour now."

* * *

At this time of the year, the Arctic is shrouded in an everlasting dusk. When the plane finally lands on the thick ice sheet, the four friends are enveloped by a freezing wind, chilling them to the bone despite their coats and the equipment they took before leaving Gotham.

The weather station is deserted, of course, and they waste no time, finding some snowmobiles abandoned there by the former inhabitants. Clark wants to climb on one immediately but another wave of weakness forces him to lean on Richard instead.

"Clark!" the assistant-editor says, holding him back from falling, steadying him.

"It's… okay…" the reporter whispers, cursing his weakened state.

"It may be better if I ride, okay? You'll sit behind me and show me the way. The girls will follow us on the other one."

Nodding pitifully, Clark, shameful, lets his friend help him sit like someone would help an old man.

* * *

After half an hour of smooth driving in the immaculate immensity, they penetrate a totally different landscape where the monotonous uniformity of snow and ice bathed in the golden light is gradually replaced by a chaos of purple ice peaks and dark gray crevasses crying under the howling wind of a curious, out of place storm.

Scrutinizing the deep, dark void half-hidden in the freezing mist before them, Richard must face the fact that they can't go any further with their vehicles. "Okay, we'll have to walk from now on," he yells through the roaring wind while helping Clark out of the snowmobile. They take their bags and gather together, starting to follow a narrow catwalk along an abrupt slope, the Kryptonian in the lead, closely followed by Richard, the girls in toe, hand in hand.

Clark does his best to hide the growing numbness of his body and the grogginess of his mind as staying awake gets harder and harder. He's not even entirely sure that they head in the right direction, for the last time he's been here by foot was a _very_ long time ago… They walk for another hour until they reach a steep headland overhanging a tortured valley scattered with random piles of frozen rocks, bathed in a dense fog.

Stepping before his tall friend, Richard suddenly gasps, gazing at the strange scenery; what he thought were rocks and ice, are actually giant crystals intertwined and torn through the ice cap. When the stormy wind suddenly blows the fog away, the gigantic mass of the Fortress of Solitude appears like a cathedral among the shattered land. "Oh, my…" he starts when a piercing cry makes him turn around abruptly.

"Clark!!" Lois has just yelled, as the hero collapses in the snow.

They're all immediately at his side, and Richard slaps his cheek gently. "Clark? Come on buddy, wake up. We're almost there…" he says, his cracking voice betraying his fear.

Lee and Lois have gathered around their friend and the red-haired woman now strokes his wet hair with her trembling hands, trying to tame her own angst when she feels more than she can actually hear his erratic heartbeat and ragged breaths. "Clark," she says, lowering her lips to just above his left ear. "Hold on… please." Her voice is just a resigned whisper as, more than anyone else, she knows deep inside how futile her pleas are. She's losing him…

After his continuous battle to stay awake over the last two hours, Clark simply lowered his guard when he saw his Fortress, forgetting for a split second that he had to breathe, this simple exercise even now being a fight in itself. Now laid against the cold carpet of snow, he welcomes it as it echoes with the coldness he feels inside him. His irises are now an impossibly clear shade of blue, his eyes unfocused and his lips move so slightly. "The crystal… Fortress…" he mumbles weakly.

Lee looks up at Richard, her expression mixed with fear and resolve. "We have to go on and bring him to the Fortress!" she shouts through the wind.

Nodding, the assistant-editor hauls the limp Kryptonian up on his shoulders. Staggering slightly under his weight, he steadies himself and starts to walk ahead as fast as he can on the icy ground, followed by the two women.

Half an hour later, they finally step into the monumental structure, passing under a gigantic crystal gate. Crossing the various cold chambers, they progress into the core of the Fortress, stepping finally into an immense chamber bathed in a feeble light, its ceiling opened to the tormented sky and its depth plunging into endless darkness.

Getting down on one knee, Richard lets go of Clark and lays him down on the floor of the central platform gently. "Here, Buddy. We've arrived, wake up," he says, shaking him softly. "Clark?" His voice cracks as blood leaves his face suddenly. "Oh no…" he whispers, trying to find a pulse on his ice-cold throat. Finally, he kneels back in shock.

**Clark is dead**.

* * *


	48. Chapter 47

**Chapter 47 : Rebirth**

Dazed, Lois stares blankly at Clark's lifeless body.

Unlike Lee, who has immediately fallen to her knees beside him, transfixed, she just couldn't acknowledge the terrible evidence. She threw herself at the Kryptonian, shoving the red-haired woman out of her way. Ripping his coat, sweater, and shirt open with a strength born of despair, she repeatedly punched his blemished chest in a mockery of CPR, or possibly just rage? She finally realized that she was screaming, hot tears blinding her eyes, when Richard grabbed her by the waist to pull her away from the corpse. Trembling, she refused his embrace and stalked a few meters away instead, leaning against a crystal pillar, sobbing.

Now her hands are hurting, her eyes are burning, and she wishes she was with her son now and not so far away in the emptiness of the Arctic. She feels drained and empty.

Lee has crawled back to her lover and is gently rocking him now, her head lost in his cold, wet, raven hair, silent tears running down her cheeks. She has known from the very second his heart stopped that nothing could be done anymore to keep him alive this time, and she curses her empathetic gift as she wanted to believe against all hope… But it wasn't meant to be; Clark had long ago exceeded his limits and there was nothing she could do about that. Now all she wishes for is for the inevitable explosion to come and ease her pain.

Running his hand through his hair, Richard looks around and spots the backpack his fiancée threw away a few moments ago. He gets it and opens the main pocket, retrieving the Father Crystal from inside, then he walks back to Clark and puts it on his chest, placing his limp right hand over it reverently. "Here, Clark. It belongs to you," he says softly, tears burning his eyes.

As soon as the crystal touches the Kryptonian's skin, it starts to glisten, a soft pulsing light emanating from it. Soon the light gets brighter and all the crystals around seem to respond to it in an enchanted dance of colors.

"What the--" Richard starts, getting to his feet and looking around in amazement. Now the whole place seems to pulse like a crystal heart, brighter and brighter in a humming melody. The assistant-editor grabs Lee and forces her to step a few meters back, soon met by Lois. The three stay there, dumbfounded, waiting.

The light and sound intensify until the whole place bathes in a blinding white light engulfing everything. Suddenly, the ground under Clark's body starts to move slowly into growing crystals as luminous as the rest. They grow and extend until they form a sort of coffin around the Kryptonian, others growing downward onto it as if to seal it like a lid.

Protecting his eyes with his arm, Richard has just enough time to see the 'cocoon' lock before being hit by a powerful shock wave that knocks the three human friends off their feet and sends them flying back to strike a wall nearby, knocking them all out.

* * *

Lee is the first to wake up, a strange sound resonating in her ears like a heartbeat, yet not as low or organic. It's more… _crystalline_. Then the light, soft and warm, hits her face, and to her utter shock, she can feel it through her closed eyelids. _It can't be…_ Slowly, she opens her eyes, holding her breath as if it could break the spell. The light is still here, bright, vivid. Colored and blurry shapes dance into it. _It can't be… I can't see… _As her sight focuses finally, she spots _him_ and her heart stops.

Bathed in pure bright light, he stands there just a few meters from her, looking at her with impossibly clear blue, bright eyes. His hair seems to flow softly in the cool breeze; his raven locks illuminated by electric blue shades. His skin is impossibly pale, yet it's unblemished; he seems to shine from inside as if he was made of crystal. Blinking, Lee soon realizes that his powerful and well defined body has been cleared of all his human clothes; light is enveloping him like a tangible wrap. No… it's not an illusion! The light materializes into a myriad of shining fibers which weave an ethereal suit directly onto his body, fitting to it perfectly, subliming his powerful muscles. Over his chest, an even brighter 'S' shaped crest forms. Crystalline ribbons of light follow its contours up to his shoulders, flowing down his back and slowly morphing into a translucent cape.

As the god-like apparition walks slowly and gracefully to her, she whispers, "Am I dead? Is--"

He doesn't answer but hunkers down in front of her instead, tilting his head. Gazing at her with an elusive expression, he brushes her left cheek with the tip of his fingers and she gasps at the contact, an incredible heat emanating from him, almost burning her skin. She wants to touch him in return but he straightens up before she can move, turning his back to her, his light-woven cape flowing silently behind his back.

_Clark …_ she thinks with a mix of awe and self-deception. _It's not him… _She looks back at the now empty crystalline cocoon. _No, he's not inside it anymore, so is this really him? It's like he was looking at me without seeing me._

As the divine being walks away from her,he passes before Richard and Lois, who have also woken up, staring at him with similar shock. Apparently oblivious of their presence, he crosses a platform which seems to end at the center of the chamber, hanging above the deep void. Responding to a subtle wave of his right hand, a crystalline console appears before him. When it has stopped growing, he inserts the Father Crystal he still had in hand into one of its multiple slots, and the place seems to activate itself again, light patterns dancing into the crystals of the structure, glinting in a symphony of colors.

Lee holds back a sob as she stares at him from her corner. _It's not Clark, is it?_ Whatever has happened to him, this magnificent being is not _**her**_ Clark. The strange and beautiful figure seems remote, withdrawn, as if he was made of crystal like the rest of this place. Could it be Kal-El the Kryptonian freed from Clark's humanity, or just the reflection of her former lover, created by a tweak of that advanced Kryptonian technology?

Lost in her thoughts, she has not noticed yet that the crystal under her feet has suddenly started to vibrate. Soon the entire place seems to shake, chunks of crystals and snow tumbling down and coming to crush the various platforms all around them. A few feet just in front of the shining alien, a ball of light materializes and morphs into a bright crystal mass, which grows until it's the size of a mid-sized car, hovering in mid-air. A deafening rumble replaces the melodious pulsing and forces the three humans to put their hands over their ears.

_Run… Get out of here…_

Lee jumps with a start when she hears that voice – Clark's warm voice – inside her head. Although the heavenly figure has not made a single move in her direction, she's absolutely sure he's there somewhere, his disembodied voice comforting her. _He's still here!_

_It's above us now… You don't have much time… Get them out there and run as far as you can… Everything will be alright…_

His voice is insistent now, yet she recognizes his incomparable compassionate tone. With a frown of resolve on her forehead, she jumps to her feet and runs to Richard and Lois, still paralyzed by the scene.

"Let's get out of here!!" the red-haired woman says, grabbing Lois's arm.

"What?" Richard shouts through the noise, noticing the red-haired woman's focused vision.

"He told me to run away! This place is not safe anymore!!"

"Who--" he starts, but gives up, seeing the whole structure shaking dangerously above their heads.

With a last look at the bright being now hovering toward the pulsing crystal mass, the three friends run out of the chamber, heading back to the entrance as fast as they can.

* * *

**Beep, beep, beep… **

Batman throws a rapid look at the radar on his left, glad he had enough clarity despite his wounds to place a tracker in Lane's coat back at the Manor. _Hmm… they must be here_, he thinks, pushing slightly on the yoke. The black supersonic jet aircraft tilts down and dives into the sea of clouds.

"H minus 6 minutes and 30 seconds," a synthesized voice says from the speaker.

Clenching his jaw, the Dark Knight pushes a button and Alfred's face appears on one of the screens.

"Master Wayne," the butler simply says, his face tense but calm.

"Is everything okay down there?"

"Yes, Sir. I activated the security system when you left, and I checked everything. The Batcave is perfectly safe now, and the system is completely self-sufficient." Looking at something at his side, the old man then continues, lowering the volume of his voice, "May I ask you to make haste and find little Master Jason's parents?"

"I just found them. I'll contact you when--" A crackling noise interrupts him. "Alfred?" The image of his butler flickers and disappears suddenly. "Alfred!" Annoyed, the billionaire checks his instruments; every one of them seems to malfunction, displaying erratic data on the different monitors. Looking through the window of the cockpit, Bruce grumbles and scans the landscape as soon as his jet wriggles out of the clouds. At his utter surprise the place seems to be bathed in daylight. _No way!_ he thinks to himself before realizing that the light is not natural, but seems to emanate from the peak before him. His eyes widening under his mask, he opens his mouth in shock. _This is not a peak! It's a glowing crystal as huge as a mountain; Superman's Fortress!!!_

That's when his keen eyes see the three tiny figures fighting their way away from the shining structure. _Got them!! _Slowing down, the jet initiates his descent in a loose loop before coming to a halt in mid-air and going down. It lands vertically on the ice-sheet.

Richard was the first to see the dark jet and runs to it as soon as it's landed; Lois and Lee hanging onto his arms. In no time they're inside and the airplane takes off as smoothly and silently as it landed. Once in the cabin, they all huddle together in the narrow place, still shaking from cold.

"Is everyone okay?" Batman says with his usual hoarse voice over his shoulder.

Richard nods, "Yeah, but Clark-- Hey! Look over there!!" he shouts, pointing his finger toward the Fortress a few miles from them.

They all look at their right, amazed, as something even brighter than the structure ascends slowly, directly above it.

"What the--" the dark hero mumbles, grabbing a pair of high-tech binoculars from his belt.

"What is it? What's going on?!" Lois asks with panic in her voice.

"It's Superman," Lee says with unexpected calm, almost in a trance.

"She's right, at least that's what it looks like," Batman adds, zooming in with his powerful electronic binoculars. "What the heck is he doing?"

The assistant-reporter runs his hand through his hair nervously once again, "Bruce, something happened in the Fortress; he… Well, I don't know what he's doing, but maybe we should go back to the manor and wait there."

Not even looking back at him, the Dark Knight says calmly, his voice almost frightening, "We have no time to go anywhere. If I were you all, I would fasten my seatbelt, because the explosion is in less than 60 seconds now." Saying so, he tightens his grip on the yoke and fixes his gaze on the luminescent point climbing higher and higher in the dark purple sky until it's just barely bigger than a star.

_55 seconds…_

"What!?" Lois cries out, in shock, grabbing her seatbelt frenetically.

"Don't worry, this aircraft is designed to resist things like this," Bruce says. "Well, I think so…," he whispers, gritting his teeth.

_47 seconds…_

Richard's hand grabs his fiancée's and squeezes it passionately. They exchange a loving gaze while the shining star keeps ascending high into the sky above the Fortress.

_40 seconds…_

Still transfixed, Lee can't tear her newly seeing eyes away from the bright dot that seems to have stopped his ascension. _Everything will be alright_, she keeps hearing Clark's warm voice in her head, not knowing if he's actually talking to her or if it's a twist of her battered mind.

_25 seconds…_

Lois bites her fist to tame her growing fear, nervous tears running down her cheeks. _Jason_… How she would love to hold him tight in her arms right now. _Is he really safe?_

_11 seconds…_

_Everything will be all right…_

_8 seconds…_

Hovering at the lower part of the mesosphere, Superman holds the pulsing crystal device, bearing it over his shoulders. Looking up toward the dark space, he sees the shadow of the gigantic landmass silently gliding above him, almost feeling its oppressing gravity with his acute senses.

_7… 6… 5… _

Looking back down at his Fortress, now just a little shining dot lost on the white ice-cap, he closes his eyes and exhales deeply, the vapor of his breath crystallizing instantly into frost in the high altitude. He's ready…

_3…_

_I won't have a second chance…_

_2…_

_The timing has to be perfect… _

_**1**_

Everything seems to happen simultaneously and at an impossible rate. As soon as the giant landmass illuminates in a myriad of shiny greenish cracks over its surface, Superman triggers something on the device he carries and a powerful ray of white light ascends instantly from the Fortress, reaching him. From there, a luminous wave made of pure energy spreads out and expands into the mesosphere at an tremendous speed, so fast that it soon covers the entire area above the Northern Pole then above the whole Northern hemisphere. The hero has actually used this crystal as a deflector to convert the energy from his Fortress into a protective shield.

"Holly sh--!!!!" Batman shouts out when he sees with his own eyes the formidable explosion of New Krypton being simply stopped by the gigantic field of energy above their heads. Although he prepared himself for the shock wave, it never came.

"It's… beautiful…" Lee whispers, her hands clasped on the window, mesmerized by the iridescent colors the sky has been filled with; it's like a giant Aurora Borealis.

The tremendous energy passing through his body, Kal-El ignores the tearing pain, clenching his jaw and gathering all his might to stay still and hold on. Most of the debris are burnt up in the mesosphere, but the biggest chunks, not entirely consumed, hit the force field at a vertiginous speed, threatening to pass through it. Fortunately, they all disintegrate or simply bounce off it.

_I have to hold on…_ the hero keeps repeating to himself, the energy running through his body being too much for even him, burning him from inside, overloading his solar cells. _I have… to hold… on…_

His iridescent suit is the first to deteriorate, its luminous material melting here and there on his skin. Expelling a silent cry, he tightens his grip on the deflector, summoning even more energy into it and out of the Fortress.

The little jet still hovering at a safe distance from the crystal structure, Richard suddenly shouts, "Hey, look at this!!!"

They all look down at the Fortress, which is collapsing in on itself, the ray of light coming from it faltering. It finally vanishes when the structure disappears in a monumental cloud of vapor. Not fed by energy anymore, the force field weakens too, disintegrating rapidly, but fortunately most of the debris has already been destroyed and what remains won't be able to make much more than local damages to the Earth's surface.

The four friends stare back up at the tiny shining dot high in the sky, holding their breath when in turn its light starts to falter, too.

Bruce lifts his binoculars again. "Damn," he just says before tossing them aside, hitting a few buttons, and pulling at the yoke.

"What is it?" Lois asks, her voice tense and trembling.

"He's falling," he simply says.

The jet gathers speed and climbs, heading to the falling spot in the chaotic sky now filled with a rain of shooting stars. It soon reaches its course and they all see, horrified, Superman plummeting toward the ice-sheet at an impossible rate, leaving a trail of flames and smoke behind him. Bruce punches a few buttons and leaves his seat in haste, looking at Richard. "Take my seat!"

The assistant editor stares back at him in shock. "What?!"

"At this rate, he'll pierce through the ice-sheet and sink into the depth of the ocean. We won't be able to reach him down there and he'll be lost," the Dark Knight explains while retrieving an oxygen-mask from inside a closet. "You know how to pilot, don't you?"

"Yeah, but--"

"Then land this plane!" With that, Bruce puts the mask on and disappears behind the door separating the cabin from the tiny cargo bay.

* * *

The wind whipping his face despite the oxygen mask, the dark figure slices through the air, his whole body tensed like a dart, trying to gather enough speed to catch the burning torch his alien-friend has now become. The ground seems to close in really fast but he dismisses the idea, tensing even more. He finally reaches Superman and catches him in his arms, muffling a cry when the contact burns him despite his own reinforced suit.

They fall for a few seconds more, until Bruce activates a trigger in his glove. His cape tightens and takes the shape of powerful bat wings, sustaining him in his descent and allowing him to slow down until he can glide safely down to the icy ground.

The plane lands a few moments after the two heroes, not far from them. When Richard and the ladies get out, running toward Bruce, the hero shouts out, "Keep away!!! He's burning-hot!!"

Coming to a halt just a few meters away, they see in horror that he's holding a lifeless Superman, bathing in a pool of warm water, formed in the thick ice by the alien's incandescent body. His iridescent suit is torn and melted over his reddish skin, exposing his arms, torso, and feet.

After a few minutes, the Dark Knight judges that his friend's temperature has lowered enough to drag him out of the pool with Richard's help. They lay him carefully on the snow.

Immediately at his side, Lee takes the Kryptonian's head, resting it gently on her lap. "Clark… Do you hear me? Kal-El…" she says with a shaking voice.

His eyes open slowly, eliciting sighs of relief all around him. Focusing on his lover's face, he smiles faintly. For a moment, their eyes lock, seeing each other for the very first time. Faintly, his hand tries to reach her face but he soon gives up, too tired for even that.

"You made it, Clark… You kept your promise…" she says through her hot tears.

Smiling brighter, he closes his eyes, too exhausted to keep them open. With a visible effort, he manages to whisper before sinking back into unconsciousness, "I… really… need… vacation…" His head falls back, limp on Lee's lap.

* * *


End file.
